The Club’s guest speaker this morning was Mr. Jack Harris, International Vice President of Junior Achievement.
Junior Achievement is a program which functions with volunteers. It uses ‘hands-on’ experiences of business people to explain to young people the economics of life, opening their minds to the potential they hold within their hands for their future.
Mr. Harris said Junior Achievement has been in existence since 1919, trying to ‘bridge the gap’ for young people between their education and their ambitions. Junior Achievement recognizes the ‘critical need’ for ‘work place development’ in Georgia because without it, Georgia’s economy will be adversely affected.
Georgia is second to last in high school graduations in the nation. The dropout rate is 48%. What this means for businesses in Georgia is that there is a potential for a $16 BILLION lost in the economy if this rate continues.
Mr. Harris went on they say ‘role models’ from the business community are needed to share with these young people, real world business experiences, so they see how their school studies can be applied to their futures in the business community. How the math, science, and other subjects will play a very important part in their futures in the ‘business of making a living’.
8th, 9th, and 10th graders make critical life decisions during these three grades in their high school careers. Junior Achievement reaches approximately 108, 000 students out of three millions students worldwide. By having business men and women come into schools to tell their ‘own stories’, how they got started and the hardships they endured along the way ‘motivates’ students. These stories ‘ring true’ to students. These business ‘role models’ tell students of the subjects they took in school or how they wish they had studied harder in school and what kind of an impact it has on their present careers.
These volunteer business people and their stories help motivate students…helping them to believe they can do it too. They can succeed in their life’s ambitions. Junior Achievement ‘bridges the gap’…shows the practical application between studying hard in school and achieving their life’s ambition.
The North side Club graced our breakfast meeting this morning with seven of their members.
Thank you ladies and Gentlemen.
Our first Board meeting for the 2007-2008 year will be held, this coming Friday, October 5th, at 7:30 AM at the Radial Café, 1530 DeKalb Avenue. The agenda will include: Club Budget, plans for the year, and proposed new projects.
President Sherry Neal will host a new member’s orientation, Monday, October 22nd, 6:30 pm, at 2953 Braithwood Court, NE, Atlanta, Ga. 30345. Such topics as the History, organization, and mission of Kiwanis International, Membership benefits, expectations of members, the history of Peachtree Atlanta Kiwanis Club, service projects, how you can get involved and many other tidbits of information.
Please RSVP to Sherry Neal by October 18, 2007.
Kennesaw State University, Saturday, October 6th, Registration begins at 8AM. $15.00. Includes lunch.
Come volunteer and welcome international students, October 14th at Atlanta Symphony Hall. [4pm, Peachtree & 15th Streets] Ushers and many other volunteers are needed.
Installation of Club Officers: 2007-2008 year…October 9th morning meeting
Kendall Carter, committee Chair, said the group will meeting today at 2pm. Today’s speaker is Major Ann Corley.
Two club members willing to share the responsibility to set the badges out and maintain a weekly list of interclubers and other guests are urgently needed. Please volunteer.
Chuck Roberts will heading up the ‘pin patrol’. Members who forget to wear their Kiwanis pin to Tuesday meetings will be ‘fined’ one dollar on the spot. Proceeds will go to the Club treasury.
Back to the Newsletter Archive