NEWS RELEASE

For Immediate Release:
May 12, 2009

NORWEGIAN HIGH SCHOOL TEACHER NAMED
2009 JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT TEACHER OF THE YEAR

Teacher recognized for excellence, effectiveness, and innovation.

Colorado Springs, Colo. – Mr. Arild Nordahl Johnsen of Notteroy Upper Secondary School in Notteroy, Norway, has been named the 2009 Junior Achievement Teacher of the Year. The award recognizes teachers who have demonstrated excellence, effectiveness and innovation in their support of Junior Achievement programs, which teach work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy skills to more than 9 million young people around the world annually.

The award, made possible through a grant from The Little Family Foundation, is open to outstanding JA teachers. Nominations for the 2009 Teacher of the Year Award were received from JA Member organizations worldwide. Selection of the winner is made by an external panel comprised of JA supporters from each of Junior Achievement’s six global regions.

Johnsen, who was named Norway’s Entrepreneurship Teacher of the Year in 2008, has been guiding secondary-school students through JA Company Program for five years and currently is inspiring them with the Enterprise without Borders program.

"I am honored to be named the Junior Achievement 2009 Teacher of the Year," said Johnsen. "I truly enjoy motivating students to excellence and believe that by teaching them the valuable skills found in Junior Achievement programs, we are helping create a generation of entrepreneurs and business leaders who will be successful and move the global economy forward in responsible and meaningful ways. I would like to thank Junior Achievement and The Little Family Foundation for this wonderful award."

"I have witnessed the remarkable results of Mr. Johnsen's dedication and vision," said Trine I. Haugaard, JA of Norway national coordinator for upper secondary schools. "A motivator who has guided his students to win several JA-YE awards, Mr. Johnsen is ‘converting' more and more of his colleagues to entrepreneurial education methods and building an extensive contact network in the business community. He is the driving force for local entrepreneurship education."

Johnsen, who was nominated for the 2009 Teacher of the Year award by JA of Norway, will receive a $3,000 cash award. First runner-up Ms. Fiona Turner of Queensland, Australia, and second runner-up Mr. Otokpa James of Abuja-FCT, Nigeria, will each receive a $1,500 cash award.

About JA Worldwide® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement provides in-school and after-school programs for students which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Today, 137 individual area operations reach more than four million students in the United States, with an additional five million students served by operations in 123 other countries worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

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