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Most of the time when Joe Kleine is involved in an event, the focus is on basketball.  Sharon Thomas presents an appreciation plaque to Joe Kleine, keynote speaker for the Junior Achievement business luncheon in Benton.
At a recent local event, however, the former Arkansas Razorbacks and professional basketball player focused on something else that is dear to his heart: Junior Achievement.
Kleine, now an assistant men’s basketball coach at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, was the keynote speaker for a celebration of Junior Achievement’s success in Saline County.
The program, which has been serving area students since 2001, was celebrated Wednesday at the third annual Economic for Success business luncheon at Benton’s First United Methodist Church.
Kleine, a 15-year National Basketball Association veteran and Olympic gold medalist, previously was associated with the Chicago Bulls and acknowledged that he is more fortunate than many people.
Like other speakers at the luncheon, Kleine touted the merits of Junior Achievement, which is reported to be the largest and fastest growing nonprofit economic education organization in the world.
“Junior Achievement provides a service that kids would not be getting otherwise,” Kleine said.
Noting his gratitude for his financial success, Kleine said he is “blessed beyond anything you can imagine,” but has not always known how to make wise economic decisions.
Pointing out that he did not grow up in a moneyed environment, he said it’s still possible for people to take advantage of him. “You need preparation” to make sound business decisions, he said.
Young people can acquire this knowledge through Junior Achievement programs, he said.
“Some kids come from family situations where there’s no one to guide them,” Kleine said.
Junior Achievement education can “make kids comfortable and knowledgeable in business matters,” Kleine said.
“And when you feel ignorant, you don’t speak up,” often foregoing questions that could be beneficial, he said.
Joe Felan, a UALR professor and a member of the Saline County Junior Achievement Board of Directors, introduced Kleine and commended him for his support of junior Achievement.
Jack Carney, chair-elect of First Security Bank and another member of the local Junior Achievement board, pointed out that “corporate giving is the lifeblood of Junior Achievement.”
Commended the local business people for volunteering for Junior Achievement, he said, “You can see the impact this is having on kids.”
Currently reaching more than 4 million U.S. students annually and an additional 2.5 million students internationally, the program is offered to Benton students in Grades K-5 and seventh-grade students in Bryant. Carney and other leaders of the program want to expand the program into other grades.
To do that, more volunteers are needed, Carney said.
“There’s no cost to the schools and students to participate in Junior Achievement,” and the benefits are ongoing, Carney said.
“This is the only organization that brings corporate volunteers into the classrooms,” he noted.
“Companies should allow their employees to go out as Junior Achievement teachers,” Carney said.
Toward the end of the luncheon, Sharon Thomas, president of Junior Achievement of Arkansas, presented an appreciation plaque to Kleine and thanked all of the volunteers for their service to JA education.
Benton resident Steve Ballard serves as chairman of the Saline County Junior Achievement Board.
Ballard did not speak at the event, but previously expressed appreciation to local businesses for their support of the economic education program.
“As a business leader, you understand the important of supporting not only education, but business education, as tomorrow’s workforce is currently residing in today’s classrooms,” Ballard said.
He noted that local support allowed Junior Achievement to reach more than 1,900 student in Saline County this school year.
Also serving on the Saline County Junior Achievement board are Ray Baggett, Karen Crowson, Mark Fikes, Mary Jane Large, Dinesh Moorjani, Karla Neathery, Jerry Ponder, Shelly Reed, Michael Sims and Lisa Smith.
Sponsors for the luncheon were Union Bank, Kentucky Fried Chicken of Benton, Rib Crib, Rineco Chemical Industries and Regions Bank.
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