The Money JAR

Junior Achievement of Oregon & SW Washington held a career speaker series during the spring this year, with hundreds of students joining the Lunch with Leaders program. Volunteer guest speakers brought inspiration to hundreds of students by sharing about their career, work, and education experience. The moderated discussions held via video conference helped students learn about what attitudes and characteristics it takes to succeed and about different career paths and leadership journeys. This week, the Money JAR is sharing an edited version of the interview with professional soccer player Tyler Lussi. Student interviewer Mya Brazile asks about Tyler's life and path to success. The full video of this interview, including a moderated Q&A session with students who attended the event, is available on the JAORSWWA website.

"Money can't buy happiness" is a common idiom, but how true is it? Todd and Mindy spoke with behavioral scientist Dr. Ashley Whillans about her understanding of what can bring people happiness, especially during a time when social distancing is the norm. She shares her thoughts on finding happiness and fulfillment, and on the value of money and time. Ashley discusses the importance of prioritizing connections and how the pandemic has led people to a deeper understanding of what really matters in life.

Junior Achievement of Oregon & SW Washington held a career speaker series during the spring this year, with hundreds of students joining the Lunch with Leaders program. Volunteer guest speakers brought inspiration to hundreds of students by sharing about their career, work, and education experience. The moderated discussions held via video conference helped students learn about what attitudes and characteristics it takes to succeed and about different career paths and leadership journeys. This week, the Money JAR is sharing an edited version of the interview with entrepreneur Ana Chaud, the founder of Garden Bar restaurant. Student interviewer Mia Kane asks about Ana's life and path to success. The full video of this interview, including a moderated Q&A session with students who attended the event, is available on www.jaorswwa.org.

Todd and Mindy spoke with an expert on the job search process—Mac Prichard. In addition to running a nonprofit communications advising firm, Mac also started the Pacific Northwest-specific job board Mac's List. In this interview, he shares some great tips for informational interviews and job searching. Our Money JAR hosts and Mac all share their first job experiences and how those jobs contributed to the careers they pursued later in life.

The school year is coming to a close and families are looking at an unprecedented summer as we navigate a global pandemic, cancelled summer camps, and limited summer plans. Todd and Mindy chat about the opportunities that parents have to encourage their kids to engage in different kinds of communication with friends and family over the summer while managing social distancing. We also share some educational resources from Junior Achievement, including our area's Lunch with Leaders program!

This week on the Money JAR, we catch up with Todd's physical therapist, Dr. John Zdor, to hear about this ever-growing career field and how kids can get a head start in learning if physical therapy is something they want to pursue. John also has a few tips for practicing physical therapy at home!

People can have wide-ranging interests and tons of exciting hobbies, but what makes them switch from exploring one educational path or career track to another? How can you support a student making that switch? Todd spoke with Jennifer Widom, Dean of the School of Engineering at Stanford University, about her switch from studying music to studying computer science and how she has cultivated a love of learning throughout her life.

April is Financial Literacy Month, which makes it a great time to talk with your kids about personal finance. Todd and Mindy spoke with finance expert Kelly Takahashi about the ways to manage personal finances and debt, and how to help kids leverage loans and make responsible choices about their financial futures.

What does it take to be an entrepreneur? Is it something that children are born with, or can the creativity and determination it takes to start a business be taught? The CEO of Junior Achievement Worldwide, Asheesh Advani, shares his experience of receiving encouragement and mentorship, and how it led him to his belief that everyone has the potential to be an entrepreneur.

Schools and group activities are currently on hold to slow the spread of COVID-19, the novel coronavirus. While this is a serious time on a global scale, it can also be viewed as an opportunity for families to connect. This is a great time to engage with your children and discuss their future plans, and Todd and Mindy have some suggestions about how to encourage interpersonal connections beyond technology while practicing social distancing.