A Love Story Rooted in Junior Achievement

Mike & Stasia Brannon, Brannon Monument Co.
Junior Achievement has always focused on teaching the next generation about fiscal literacy and responsibility, market-based economics, and entrepreneurship. When we were in high school, the core JA experience was the evening program. It was there that we worked alongside students from all over the tri-state area, learning the basics of setting up real, working businesses.
I (Stasia) worked in companies that actually made and sold products—like a hanger that still hangs in my dad’s closet today. Mike was involved in the accounting and banking companies that supported those JA production businesses.
It was through the evening program, working with company sponsors and their employee mentors, that we truly realized the importance of community service. While we have always believed it’s important to be involved in the communities where we live and work, what we’ve received from that involvement has come back to us tenfold.
In business, you quickly learn that things often come full circle. Being honored as Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame Laureates has been especially meaningful to our family. Recently, our oldest daughter, Emily, began teaching basic economics in the JA Our Nation program.
The first lessons—and recognition—of our business knowledge began when we were young people in Junior Achievement.

Learn more about Mike & Stasia's story.

Volunteer | Donate | Share your JA story