Cinnaire team members recently joined Junior Achievement (JA) for an immersive volunteer day at JA Finance Park, an interactive program that gives students a firsthand look at managing personal finances. The experience helps middle and high school students step into “real life” adult roles, create monthly budgets, and make decisions around housing, transportation, utilities, groceries, childcare, and more.
Throughout the day, Cinnaire volunteers guided students as they navigated the challenge of balancing wants versus needs, setting financial goals, and understanding the importance of budgeting. The result was a day filled with laughter, learning, and plenty of “aha!” moments as students connected classroom lessons to real-world experiences.
As a longtime partner and supporter of JA, Cinnaire recognizes the lasting impact of programs that prepare young people for financial success and community leadership.
“Junior Achievement’s mission is about giving young people the confidence and knowledge to take control of their financial future,” said Josh Ghena, Cinnaire Equity Partners Interim President and JA Board Member. “It’s inspiring to watch students realize what it really takes to manage a household budget, and even more rewarding to see their excitement when everything finally clicks. Programs like Finance Park are truly preparing the next generation for success in work and life.”
Cinnaire’s partnership with JA aligns with our commitment to creating pathways to economic opportunity and financial stability for people of all ages. By investing time and talent in programs like Finance Park, we’re helping young people develop the tools they need to make informed financial decisions and build brighter futures for themselves and their communities.
Reflecting on the experience, Katlynn Kretz, Senior Vice President, Equity Underwriting, shared:
“It was incredibly rewarding to see students take ownership of their choices and begin to understand what financial independence really looks like. Junior Achievement creates such a positive, hands-on learning experience. You can truly see confidence growing in the students as they work through real-world challenges.”
This experience reflects Cinnaire’s values in action and our belief in the power of education to strengthen communities, expand opportunity, and inspire the next generation of leaders.
To learn more about Junior Achievement, please visit: https://midmichigan.ja.org/