Rocky Mountain JA Free Enterprise Center Celebration

Between its brand-new facility and a couple of very bright student ambassadors, Rocky Mountain Junior Achievement gave us all hope for the future at its recent dedication celebration in Greenwood Village. From great idea to the finished product, the sparkling new JA Free Enterprise Center is designed to be a go-to place for education, innovation and inspiration–with plenty of opportunities for any students who just want to figure things out as well. All in all, it’s a hands-on, immersive experience tailored to each individual. With the variety of functional and beautiful spaces, along with some “wow” technology involved, prepare to be impressed.

Mary Pat Link with philanthropists Judi and Charlie McNeil

On Tuesday, Aug. 29, sponsors, donors and supporters gathered at the facility for self-guided tours and the ribbon ceremony. Not a ribbon cutting—but a ceremonial ribbon-tying and untying that ultimately signified the endless possibilities for students in the world of business. The short program included remarks from student ambassadors Andrew Kim and Maxwell Skidmore, as well as JA President and CEO Robin Wise. Speaking and participating in the ribbon ceremony: James Taylor, of Dedication Celebration sponsor Charles Schwab and board member; and Chris Gdowski, board member and superintendent of Adams 12 Five Star Schools.

Chris Gdowski and James Taylor begin the tying-untying ribbon ceremony.

JA reports: The JA Free Enterprise Center fuses the physical and digital worlds to deliver innovative, real-world and inspirational learning experiences in financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career readiness, reaching an additional 25,000 students annually.

The Daniels Fund JA Dream Accelerator is an interactive and responsive career exploration experience designed to motivate high school students to develop a plan to pursue a meaningful career. After students’ initial visit, JA provide ongoing learning opportunities and additional resources customized to each student’s experience.

JA student ambassadors Maxwell Skidmore (left) and Andrew Kim

The second JA Finance Park in metro Denver doubles JA’s capacity to provide teens the opportunity to become adults for the day in this immersive simulation. Recognized by Harvard University as a best practice for teaching financial literacy, students explore a mini-city, learning first-hand how to budget for housing, insurance, transportation, retirement investments and more. Volunteer role models share their experiences, helping teens connect their learning to the real-world.

Spaces within the facility are available for community use, including conference rooms, a large terrace overlooking the Rocky Mountains and event space with capacity for 80 to 150 people.

Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc. (JA) is part of the world’s largest nonprofit dedicated to motivating kids for future career success, self-sufficiency and financial acumen.