Junior AchieveÂment of the Upper Midwest has reÂceived $1 million, its largÂest grant ever, from the Otto BremÂer Foundation to exÂpand its fiÂnanÂcial-edÂuÂcaÂtion and sigÂnaÂture high school enÂtreÂpreÂneurÂiÂal acÂtivÂiÂties to hard-pressed ruÂral schools in Minnesota, North Dakota and western WisÂconÂsin.
"We have a three-year plan to reach out to [ruÂral] high schools and partÂner with othÂer nonprofits, with a speÂcial foÂcus on imÂmiÂgrants and low-inÂcome kids," said Gina Blayney, CEO of Midwest Junior AchieveÂment (JA). "EnÂtreÂpreÂneurÂship is one of the foundational pilÂlars of Junior AchieveÂment along with perÂsonÂal fiÂnance and colÂlege and caÂreer readÂiÂness, and this inÂitiaÂtive will alÂlow us to exÂpand our proÂgramÂming and outÂreach."
ImÂmiÂgrants start a disÂproÂporÂtionÂateÂly high numÂber of small busiÂnesÂses comÂpared with the genÂerÂal popÂuÂlaÂtion, acÂcordÂing to reÂcent studÂies by Junior AchieveÂment, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. Small Business Administration. Junior AchieveÂment will levÂerÂage its work with local busiÂness and nonprofit partÂners.
Brian Lipschultz. a Twin Cities busiÂnessÂman and BremÂer Foundation trusÂtee, notÂed that Otto BremÂer, an imÂmiÂgrant who started as an acÂcountÂing clerk 115 years ago, beÂcame a bankÂing and brewÂing magÂnate beÂfore leavÂing his wealth to the comÂmuniÂty.
"The legÂacy of our founder … the Otto BremÂer Foundation and BremÂer Banks … is a tesÂtaÂment to the enÂtreÂpreÂneurÂiÂal spirÂit," Lipschultz said in a stateÂment. "So we beÂlieve the comÂbiÂnaÂtion of proÂgramÂming and geÂoÂgraphÂic foÂcus can inÂspire stuÂdents to purÂsue enÂtreÂpreÂneurÂiÂal venÂtures, creÂate jobs and strengthÂen our reÂgion's ecÂonÂomy."
St. Paul-based BremÂer Banks are owned largeÂly by the BremÂer Foundation, which has doÂnatÂed more than $400 milÂlion over the years in the comÂmuÂniÂties it serves.
The Otto BremÂer EnÂtreÂpreÂneurÂship Fund will aÂdapt and exÂpand sevÂerÂal sucÂcessÂful JA programs, inÂcludÂing in-school enÂterÂprisÂes such as JA Company, which lets high school stuÂdents reÂsearch, creÂate and marÂket a real servÂice or prodÂuct as part of a school-based club. AnÂothÂer program, JA TiÂtan, lets stuÂdents apÂply their knowlÂedge of busiÂnesÂses as they comÂpete in a virÂtual enÂviÂronÂment to creÂate and marÂket a comÂpany in an interÂacÂtive busiÂness simÂuÂlaÂtion.
Minneapolis and St. Paul JA teams led by miÂnorÂiÂty and imÂmiÂgrant stuÂdents have had naÂtionÂal sucÂcess in reÂcent years.
In 2012, a Minneapolis EdÂiÂson High "comÂpany" finÂished aÂmong the nation's top 15 Junior AchieveÂment stuÂdent comÂpanies and the participants spent sevÂerÂal days in Washington, D.C., comÂpetÂing and colÂlaborÂating with teams from across the United States.
A JA team from St. Paul's High School for ReÂcordÂing Arts was seÂlecÂted as the 2011 North American JA comÂpany winÂner.
Neal St. Anthony • 612-673-7144