Award Given to New Employees Who Have Demonstrated 
Outstanding Impact on the Organization

Abby Phillips, Director of Education of Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky, has been awarded the organization’s “Rising Star” Award. The award is given to mid-level staff members who are emerging leaders within the organization, and who demonstrate outstanding, measurable success in executing their responsibilities. The award, which was created in 2004, recognizes staff members who have shown leadership within their JA community and perform their duties at the highest level. 

Nominations were submitted by Junior Achievement (JA) local area office presidents across the country. Four award recipients were selected by a panel comprised of Junior Achievement USA® executives and operations staff.

The award was presented to Abby at Junior Achievement USA’s recent National Leadership Conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, on July 18, 2019. Abby has been with Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky for four years, and during that time the number of students impacted has grown by more than 30%. She has helped facilitate programs in four new counties and worked to diversify our programs, growing in the areas of elementary, middle school, and blended learning. Abby has worked to implement the Wendy’s JA Classroom of the Week highlighting local teachers and volunteers and build awareness of the JA mission. She has also implemented the JA Girl$ program, impacting hundreds of 7th grade girls in south central Kentucky. 

“Abby is a worthy recipient of the Rising Star Award,” said JA Area president Drew Martin, president of Junior Achievement of South Central Kentucky. “She brings enthusiasm, dedication and passion to advancing the JA mission.” Abby said she was honored and humbled to have received the award. “I am so privileged to receive this award, but I am even more inspired by the young people Junior Achievement impacts on a daily basis,” said Phillips. “I wholeheartedly believe in Junior Achievement’s mission and work hard every day to share that mission with others. Working for Junior Achievement makes every day rewarding, challenging and fun.”