Work Readiness & Financial Literacy for at-risk Children – State Farm $60,000 grant to Junior Achievement.

The Junior Achievement Florida Foundation has been awarded a $60,000 grant from State Farm. The state-wide initiative will support Junior Achievement learning experiences in nine localities throughout Florida, enabling thousands of young people to participate in JA’s nationally recognized financial literacy and work readiness learning experiences.

“The mission of State Farm remains committed to ensuring that young people receive financial literacy and work readiness education programs,” said Jose Soto, Corporate Responsibility Analyst at State Farm. “Junior Achievement programs help all students improve their financial literacy, especially the low to moderate income students who derive greater benefits from the programs.”

Each JA area will use the support to advance learning experiences most needed in their region.

• JA Tampa Bay will deliver JA Inspire Virtual Career Expo supplemented with the JA Digital Career App. The virtual platforms provide middle and high school students with a highly interactive virtual career fair, where they engage with over 100 businesses and educational institutions.
• JA Miami will advance the JA Stock Market Challenge, empowering students to visualize, first-hand, how the laws of economics unfold in the real world, encapsulated in a virtual competition.
• JA Space Coast will provide third and fourth grade students a virtual component of JA More Than Money; a learning experience designed to introduce concepts of money management, goods and services, and global markets.
• JA South Florida and JA Southwest Florida will provide the JA Personal Finance learning experience to high school students, educating young people on the relationship between today’s financial decisions and future financial freedom.
• JA Central Florida, JA North Florida, and JA Palm Beaches will deliver the newly enhanced JA Finance Park Virtual; where students will build a foundation for making intelligent and informed personal finance decisions.
• JA Northwest Florida will provide JA Economics for Success through a virtual delivery platform, where students explore their skills, interests, values, and the world of work to make informed education, career, and life decisions.

Richard George, President of Junior Achievement of Tampa Bay stated, “We are so grateful for the support of State Farm all across Florida. JA is providing our young people with the tools to transform their futures. Through our learning experiences focused on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship, we are increasing economic equity, economic mobility, and a brighter tomorrow for all.”