Building confidence, inspiring curiosity, cultivating character—this is the foundation of West Virginia's Education Elevators (EE) program, and it all started with a man who had a passion for learning. In 2007, Tom McJunkin, a partner at Jackson Kelly LLC and a long-time advocate of education, encouraged the law firm to take its existing partnership with Piedmont Elementary School, located in Charleston, WV, to new heights by implementing an innovative program that would allow staff to mentor students. Tom believed there was no mission more important than the education of our youth and that it is imperative for businesses to take an active role in local education.