FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) — Junior Achievement (JA) broke ground on the new JA Legacy Park on Wednesday.
The park, which will be located near JA’s Fort Wayne headquarters, is set to open in October. It will tell the stories of local business leaders and entrepreneurs associated with JA through sculptures, signage, benches and QR code-enabled videos. The park, which will feature a pond, will span 10 acres.
JA Foundation Chairman Jim Johnston said the new park would allow community youth to learn about their community through art.
“When JA Legacy Park opens, leaders and entrepreneurs from across our community will be celebrated through engaging sculptures and interactive art,” Johnston said. “By sharing their stories through JA Legacy Park, these individuals will continue to inspire and support young people as they discover the stories of those who have shaped our community.”
Lena Yarian, president of JA Northern Indiana, said experiential learning programs like JA NEXT, the initiative that funded the park, can inspire young people.
“Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana is proud to provide nearly 184,000 student interactions each year through business and education partnerships and funding for those who support the impact of JA experiential learning on the changing needs of youth,” Yarian said. “The JA NEXT initiative is ongoing, and we invite others to talk to us about opportunities to inspire others through JA Legacy Park.”
