Lee D. Highsmith sees Junior Achievement as a way to give young people a vision for their future. As executive director of Junior Achievement of Northeast Georgia, Highsmith oversees a variety of programs that last year touched more than 7,000 students.

Through these programs, students are encouraged to take charge of their own education and their own finances to create a path to a successful career.

Today, The Times asks Lee D. Highsmith five questions about the impact her program has on local young people.

1. How has Junior Achievement made a difference for young people in Hall County?

Junior Achievement helps students connect what they are learning in school with the real world. For nearly 70 years, Junior Achievement of Georgia has inspired and prepared young people to succeed. With more than 1,000 volunteers, JA’s programs bridge the business and education communities with lessons that empower young people to own their future economic success.

Last year over 7,000 students in Northeast Georgia participated in Junior Achievement programs. JA’s vision is for all students to become prepared leaders: providing higher standards of living in their communities, driving their personal economic success and ultimately that of Georgia and our nation.

Our community faces a high school dropout crisis. According to a study from Georgia Southern University, Georgia is losing over $17 billion a year because of the impact that high school noncompletion rates are having on the economy.

Georgia is third to last in graduation rates in the country. Overall, young people who drop out are twice as likely as graduates to be unemployed; three times as likely to live in poverty; eight times as likely to wind up in prison; and twice as likely to become the parent of a child who drops out of school.

Junior Achievement encourages at-risk students to stay in school by helping them see the relationship between what they are learning in the classroom and the real world skills needed to be workforce ready.

But JA is more than just a program that teaches young people about the real world. It is a program that gives young people a vision. According to the biblical proverb, where there is no vision the people perish. JA helps young people unleash their potential by exposing them to the relevance of education especially in an ever-changing global market.

2. How did the idea for the Business Hall of Fame come about?

The Business Hall of Fame is a signature event for Junior Achievements across the country. There is even a National Business Hall of Fame that recognizes laureates on a national level.

3. How are the Business Hall of Fame laureates chosen?

A Business Hall of Fame laureate is chosen based on his or her business accomplishments and his or her community service. The honorees showcase for students what it takes to be successful in today’s global economy.

The laureates also demonstrate that a person’s service to his fellow man is one of life’s most important roles. Each laureate exemplifies Junior Achievement’s core values:

• Belief in the boundless potential of young people;
• Conviction in the educational and motivational impact of relevant hands-on learning;
• Respect for the talents, creativity, perspective and background of each individual;
• Belief in the power of partnership and collaboration;
• Commitment to the principles of market-based economics and entrepreneurship;
• Passion for what we do and honesty, integrity, and excellence in how we do it.

4. What is something you wish everyone in Hall County knew about Junior Achievement?

Junior Achievement provides classes — at no cost to the schools — that teach students to take responsibility for their education, their finances and their future. Classes are taught by trained community volunteers who use kits containing materials for five or more lessons depending on the grade level.

One kit provides materials for 30 students and costs $150. With a small amount of money, JA is reaching a huge number of students. In 2011-12 the Northeast District of JA of Georgia, which covers 16 counties, served over 7,000 children in grades pre-K through 12th grade with classes and job-shadowing opportunities.

Unfortunately, we had to turn over 1,000 students away because of lack of funds. JA is a nonprofit and does not use government funding for any of its programs.

5. How do you hope to grow and expand Junior Achievement in the future?

Personal finance is something that students are interested in, but it is not being taught in schools.

On average, one out of every 42 Georgia households declares bankruptcy every year. Georgia has the third-highest rate of personal bankruptcies in the nation. Forty percent of U.S. households live above their means.

University administrators state that they lose more students to credit card debt than to academic failure.

We would like to have JA classes in every high school in our state so that when students graduate they have the knowledge they need to manage their personal finances.