History

For more than 50 years JASA has been engaging local business and community leaders in its mission to inspire and educate young Albertans to succeed in the global economy by providing them with opportunities to experience free enterprise; understand business and economics; and develop entrepreneurial, financial literacy and leadership skills.

Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta is one of 17 charters operating under the umbrella of Junior Achievement of Canada. Junior Achievement of Canada is a member of Junior Achievement Worldwide, an international not-for-profit organization that in 2004/05 reached an estimated 2,665,500 students in more than 98 member countries.

The JA movement began in 1919 when Horace Moses of Springfield, Massachusetts developed a program to provide high school students with practical business experience. His program involved students starting and managing their own business ventures under the hands on guidance and instruction of volunteers from the local business community.

In 1959, that vision came to southern Alberta as the idea of starting a local charter was embraced by many entrepreneurs of the day including David E. Mitchell, J.R. (Bud) McCaig and Ron Southern. These individuals, and many others like them, were also among JASA’s first board members and under their influence and direction; the southern Alberta charter soon became a model for charters across the country.

Today, the JASA central office is located in Calgary, with eight regional offices in Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Foothills, East Central Alberta, Cochrane, Strathmore and Brooks where advisory committees assist with implementing the strategic direction of the organization.