Since 1919, Junior Achievement's purpose has been to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise and understand business and economics to improve the quality of their lives.  Junior Achievement (JA) of East Texas was established in Longview in 1980 and this year more than 2,000 business professionals, parents, retirees, and college students will enter our schools to teach JA.  Providing children with positive adult role models who illustrate ways to build self-confidence, develop skills, and find avenues of success in our free-enterprise system is a hallmark of JA.

      To raise money for JA projects, the Junior Achievement Bowl-A-Thon Wide World of Sports Bowl will be held August 13, 14, 21, and 22 at the Oil Bowl Lanes.  Linda Martin serves on the Bowl-A-Thon committee and will be at the bowling lanes to cheer and encourage the businesses and organizations participating.  She has served on the Bowl-A-Thon committee for the past several years and is also a classroom volunteer, a mentor, and incentives coordinator at South Ward Elementary for JA. 

     “We touch so many kids with this program and these kids are our future,” Mrs. Martin said.

     In addition to her work with JA, Mrs. Martin is a member of the Longview Partnership President’s Club; a member of the Leadership Longview Class of 2009 where she serves as class representative, as Curriculum Chair for the 2009-2010 class, and on the Alumni Committee; a member of the Pine Tree Education Foundation and Alumni Association Endowment/Fundraising Committee; the Spring Hill PTA Fundraising Chairman and a Spring Hill Reading Buddy; and Area 13 PTA Vice President and past Secretary.  She has also served as a Leadership Tomorrow Facilitator and with the Muscular Dystrophy Association Lock Up.

     Quoting Zig Ziglar, Mrs. Martin said, “You can have anything you want in life if you just help enough other people get what they want.”   

     Mrs. Martin was born in Dallas, Texas, and has lived in Longview for 38 years.  She is a graduate of Longview High School and Kilgore College.  Mrs. Martin and her husband, Carey, have been married for 31 years and have three children, one daughter-in-law, and three grandchildren.

     “I think Longview is just the right size, not too big, not too small.  I love being able to volunteer and really get to know all the people.  Longview has GREAT people,” Mrs. Martin said.