Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain (JA) is delighted to acknowledge Jenny McDonnell as the 2026 JA Shooting Star of the Year. For the past five years, Jenny has been bringing JA learning experiences into her classroom, creating meaningful opportunities for students to build real-world skills through engaging, hands-on programming.
A teacher of 26 years, including 12 years at Campus Middle School in Cherry Creek, Jenny has become a passionate advocate for experiential education and a champion for connecting students with opportunities beyond the traditional classroom. Her journey with JA began through a connection with Camryn Brenton, a JA Education Manager, whose support helped make those first experiences successful.
“I met Camryn and I just really loved everything that she was doing. I thought it would be a really fun way to end the year. So, I started with the popcorn project through JA Start It Up, and it was so much fun,” Jenny shared. “She was a very big part of why I chose to bring JA into the classroom in the first place and use their programs and then continue as well.”
Since then, Jenny has expanded the number of JA programs her students experience each year. Her classes have participated in programs such as JA Finance Park and JA Business Quest, giving students opportunities to explore personal finance, career readiness, and business concepts through interactive learning. One of the most rewarding aspects of Jenny’s work has been seeing the lasting impact these experiences have on her students.
“I have kids still coming back and talking about some of the programs they took part in,” Jenny said. “It teaches them lifelong skills disguised under a really fun experience, gives them a good sense of what reality might be like outside of school in a way that is impactful, and it’s something they can take with them moving forward.”
Jenny’s commitment to providing JA experiences also led her students to play a role in the creation of JA Business Quest. Her classroom participated in piloting the program, working directly with developers who visited her classroom, gathered student feedback, and incorporated their ideas into the program.
“It was so empowering for my kids and to see them shine and be listened to,” Jenny said. “The developers would take the feedback from my students, go back and fix things, and come back and have them try it again.”
Beyond classroom programming, Jenny deeply values the partnership and support that JA provides to educators. She also appreciates the role volunteers and community members play in enriching student learning experiences.
“It’s very collaborative, it’s very supportive. I feel like I learn a lot and that I can grow as an educator,” said Jenny. “When my students hear other voices that are either confirming what I’m teaching them, supporting it, or giving them another aspect or another viewpoint, I think it’s really beneficial.”
As an advocate for JA, Jenny has encouraged fellow educators to bring JA into their own classrooms, emphasizing both the student impact and the support educators receive.
“You’re not just inviting a program in. You’re inviting people in that are going to come and support you and really help you and your students feel confident.”
