2023 Spirit of JA Awardees

Delta Air Lines

Spirit of JA Corporate Awardee

Junior Achievement of Greater Boston is proud to recognize Delta Air Lines as the 2023 Corporate Spirit of JA Awardee. This recognition is a testament to Delta’s outstanding commitment to supporting JA’s vision of closing the wealth and opportunity gaps for young people.

Over the last seven years, Delta Air Lines has steadfastly supported Junior Achievement’s initiatives, providing vital assistance through their annual partnership. Whether it’s by sponsoring events, offering program support, or contributing volunteers, Delta has shown a deep commitment to JA’s mission. Their dedication to corporate social responsibility and philanthropy has made a tangible impact on the lives of young people, helping them realize their full potential.

Delta’s mission to connect the world starts with its commitment to being a strong partner to the communities where our employees live, work, and serve. Focused on the pillars of Environment, Equity and Education, Delta invests its time and resources to care for the planet and the people within it. As a company driven by purpose, giving back to our communities has been core to Delta and its culture for nearly 100 years. Delta has been recognized as one of the 50 most community-minded companies in the U.S. as an honoree of The Civic 50 by Points of Light for the past five years in a row.

Parthum Middle School

JA School of the Year

Parthum Middle School is a public school located in Lawrence, Massachusetts, serving students in grades 5-8. The school has a diverse student body with a majority of students identifying as Hispanic or Latino. Parthum Middle School strives to provide its students with a high-quality education that prepares them for success in high school and beyond.

The school offers a range of academic programs and extracurricular activities, including sports teams, clubs, and music programs. Parthum Middle School also has a strong commitment to fostering a positive school culture and creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students.

Angel Burgado

Spirit of JA Individual Awardee

Angel Luis Burgado Jr. was born and raised in Passaic NJ and is a proud graduate of Rowan University. He has been in the banking field since 2006. He started with Santander Bank NA, in 2013 and has been in his current role as Vice President, Community Partnership Manager since 2016.

As the Community Partnership Manager, he works with non-profit community organizations on behalf of the bank to facilitate mutually beneficial areas of partnership, including potential grant relationships, volunteerism, sponsorship opportunities and other collaborative initiatives. He covers New Hampshire, Northern, Central & Western Massachusetts.

Angel also serves as Vice President of the Board for My Turn Inc and sits on the Finance Committee of the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Nashua. He is also a Fellowmen / Member of Groove Phi Groove Social Fellowship Inc.

Angel and his Wife Shannon recently welcomed their first child Violet into the world.

Michael Kelly

JA Volunteer of the Year

As the Client Director for AIG in Boston, Michael is responsible for driving profitable growth and client retention for Fortune 1000 clients. He also collaborates with AIG’s executive and product leadership teams to strategically manage some of the Boston office’s most valued brokerage relationships.

Michael began his insurance career more than 30 years ago and has been involved with charitable organizations in Greater Boston, volunteering with Junior Achievement of Greater Boston as a mentor for high school students in the JA Company Program.

A graduate of University of Connecticut, he lives in Ashland, Mass., with his wife and their three children.

Melinda Kuleszka

JA Alumni Hall of Fame

Over her long career at Fidelity Investments, a global financial services firm headquartered in Boston, Ms. Kuleszka held leadership roles in marketing, communications, business development and technology program management.

During her tenure, she led the market introduction of several large-scale programs including a mutual fund marketplace, small market 401(k), estate planning, a consumer research panel, and an online retirement planning tool. During her career, she has been active in mentorship programs, and a panelist in/member of various industry associations.

As a JA alumna, she was a member of a high school company program in Baltimore, Maryland. Invited to join by a neighbor, she was encouraged by her father who was himself an alumni of a JA company program in Dallas, Texas. Ms. Kuleszka received her Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology at the University of Delaware. After college, she joined Legg Mason Global Asset Management as a brokerage trader, inspired by her early business experience with Junior Achievement. Then a year later, she moved to Boston and joined Fidelity.

Over the years, she continued her JA involvement by leading elementary school programs in her daughters’ classrooms. Then, in November 2017, she joined the Board of Directors for the Greater Boston Junior Achievement and served through June 2020. She has also been a mentor in the company program for the last several years, including a current one Re-Write, held at the JA Innovation Center @ RSM.

Her husband, Andrew Kuleszka is the Tax Director at the wealth management company, Captrust. She and her husband have two grown daughters - Nicole Kuleszka, a Product Owner at a health & wellness technology company (and a first year JA company program mentor) and Amy Kuleszka, a Registered Nurse in Trumbull, Connecticut. In addition to her JA involvement, Melinda enjoys pilates and cycling at the gym, traveling and boating.

Ada Wu

JA Student of the Year

Ada Wu is a senior at Boston Latin School and this year’s JA Student of The Year and $10,000 Steve Sullivan Scholarship recipient. Ada has been involved with JA through JA Our Region in elementary school, JA Summer Institute, JA Financial Literacy, JA Take Stock in Your Future, and JA Company Program. She also interned at JA. She will be continuing her connection with JA through the JA Alumni to Career Pathway.

At school, Ada is the co-president of her school’s largest volunteering club and vice president of National Honor Society, as well as an international DECA competitor. In her free time, Ada enjoys editing videos, crocheting, making paracord bracelets, and taking walks.