JA of NCO receives the 2022 Worthy Works award

The core of a thriving community comes from the very people in it – those who are eager and excited to continually collaborate with their neighbors for the betterment of a strong, healthy society. Building thriving communities is the Worthy Work of Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio.

The Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce in partnership with the Wayne County Community Foundation is pleased to announce Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio (JANCO) as the recipient of the 2022 Worthy Works award.

First presented in 2008, the Worthy Works award acknowledges and recognizes the important contributions that Not-For-Profit members of the Chamber of Commerce make to their community. The award includes a $1,000 grant to the organization to pursue its mission.

“All of us at JA deeply appreciate this recognition,” remarked Tyler Adams, Director of Corporate Partnerships. “We are committed to continue to build Orrville as one of Ohio's most thriving communities.”

Since roughly the 1950s, JANCO has been preparing and inspiring young people to succeed in the Orrville area. JANCO does this by collaborating with local schools to provide in-school and out-school K-12 programming focused on three pathways: financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

“Led by volunteers from the community, our programming brings real-world stories, motivation, and perspective into our Orrville classrooms,” explained Jan Maggard, Program Manager. “Whether a given lesson focuses on the importance of savings or how to creatively solve a problem, our volunteers ignite the imagination and drive of the young people in our community.”

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, JANCO established its now-flagship career exploration fair, JA Virtual Inspire, which connects career and work-ready high school students to local employers, education institutions, and career opportunities. JA Inspire impacts the Orrville area by allowing our local businesses to continually prosper with the talent and drive from the students they connect with, and consequently, those students are met with immediate work, career, or education opportunities. Each participating student receives a full and robust curriculum for Inspire, which encourages them to critically think about their future desires and thoughtfully plan their next steps through the program.

2021 also began JANCO’s workforce development journey in Orrville with businesses from the city participating in JA Virtual Inspire, including MOOG, Ventrac, Bekaert, and Smith Foods.

“The Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce has provided great introductions to local businesses, remarked Adams. “With the help of Lori Reinbolt, we are continually meeting organizations and learning about their workforce needs.”

Orrville and the surrounding area have JANCO’s attention. The designation of the Orrville City Schools as a priority district means a coordinated effort is underway to impact students at every grade level.

The Worthy Works award will be formally presented at the Celebration of Community, Orrville Area Chamber of Commerce Awards Program, June 21. The event will be held at the Gish Barn in Rittman. Tickets are available for purchase at www.orrvillechamber.com

Source: https://www.orrvillechamber.com/building-thriving-communities-is-worthy-work