Junior Achievement logo  
JA volunteer in classroom       
Empowering young people to own their economic success.
February 2014
JA OF NORTH FLORIDA RECEIVES STATE FARM GRANT

State Farm logoJunior Achievement of North Florida received a $7,000 State Farm Good Neighbor Citizenship grant to carry out its JA Work$ initiative that teaches workforce preparation to high school students. These students will get a firsthand experience of the working world when they are trained and given a "job": to teach Junior Achievement's professionally prepared financial literacy programs to elementary students, while receiving feedback and evaluation on their performance.

JA Work$ allows high school students from low income families to have a better understanding of the workforce and the work place. Students from Ed White, Lee and Ribault High Schools have been recruited to participate and will be exposed to resume writing, job interviews and the responsibilities of work. Additionally, these students will have a deeper grasp of financial concepts because they have to teach them as their "job" when they teach Junior Achievement's financial literacy programs to classes at three Duval County elementary schools.

"The State Farm sponsored JA Work$ initiative provides a direct impact on students graduating from high school," said JA of North Florida president Steve St. Amand. "Junior Achievement's workforce preparation programs that highlight resume writing, interviewing skills and workplace skills are coupled with actual work experience to give students a "how to" guide for use once they graduate."

These high school students will receive a stipend upon completion of their "job" and much like a real job will be monitored and receive feedback on their work. They will also learn about responsibility, working in front of a group and the value of contributing to their neighborhoods. The elementary students who are taught JA programs by the high school students will not only be exposed to JA programs but to positive role models from schools in which they will soon be enrolled.

JA Work$ was implemented in 2012 as a pilot program thanks to State Farm's support. This year, Junior Achievement looks to expand the program, preparing more students for success after high school.

OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER
Merrill Lynch Volunteer Amy FranksAmy Franks, Merrill Lynch
  
Amy is the volunteer coordinator for Merrill Lynch and is the reason many Merrill Lynch employees sign up to teach JA classes.
  
She works hard to get volunteers together to teach "JA in a Day" and also recruits for winter and spring teaching sessions.
  
Some of her past volunteers have been invited by teachers to school luncheons and kids have made books for them. "Things like that show you really do make a difference," Amy says.
  
"They love the gratitude you get and the reward from volunteering," she says of her colleagues. "I ask them to tell a friend about getting involved."
  
Amy most recently volunteered for "JA in a Day" at Kings Trail Elementary where she taught a second grade class. "They all wrote me nice letters to take home, it was really sweet."
  

What I liked most about the Junior Achievement program was...
"The connection between what they learned about in school to the real world and business."
4th grade teacher, Twin Lakes Elementary

Citi Women's Network at Waverly Academy    
Citi Women's Network delivers JA Girl$ to Waverly Academy.
  
Major League Baseball player John Wasdin gives advice at Career Day   
Major League Baseball player John Wasdin gives advice to eighth grade students during JA's Career Day at Dupont Middle.  
  
  
  
GRANT FROM MASS MUTUAL TO FACILITATE LOCAL JA PROGRAMS
  

 

MassMutual has gifted JA with $81,500 to help deliver financial education programming to elementary and junior high school students in several local communities across the United States. The JA mission is a direct correlation with MassMutual's mission to make a difference in local communities and help families become more confident in their financial decisions and empower them to take control of their financial situations.

 

The markets include Baltimore, MD; Las Vegas, NV; Rochester, NY; Jacksonville, FL; Austin, TX; Washington, D.C.; Springfield, MA; and Memphis, TN. MassMutual volunteers will teach the JA curriculum, including JA Our Families, JA More than Money, JA BizTown and JA Economics for Success, also sharing their personal and professional experiences with students.

 

In 2013, MassMutual gifted the same amount to JA, which facilitated financial education for nearly 1,450 students in five local communities across the U.S. In fact, 97 percent of teachers who participated in the program believed it had a positive impact on students, with one educator sharing, "It provided them with an in-depth learning opportunity that they would not get otherwise, with resources and experts from our community." Another teacher explained, "Students were thinking about how the content being covered applied to them and how they could use what they already know to make more learning connections."

MEET OUR BOARD OF DIRECTORS

 

Each month we introduce you to a few of our Board members.

Board members Don Cameron, Mike Clements, Jason Couturier, Charles Curley   

UPCOMING EVENTS

Bowl A Thon logo   

March 8
Spring Challenge
11:30a - 1:30p, 2 - 4p
Bowl America on San Jose Blvd

April 2
Ernst & Young Challenge
3 - 5p
Latitude 30

April 25
Deloitte Challenge
4 - 6p
Latitude 30

Contact Molly Roberts if you are interested in participating.
904-398-9944 ext.213
  
  
Golf tournament logo   
March 12
Vistakon North Florida Golf Classic
Sold Out
SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
Each month we will feature two of our many financial supporters - approximately in the month in which we realize their support.
  
The Jim Moran Foundation logo


The Jim Moran Foundation has been a longtime supporter of Junior Achievement.  They are an "always there when you most need them" supporter with a unique ability to fund exactly what is most needed at the time.  Following due diligence, The Jim Moran Foundation is willing to join JA in launching new initiatives that target specific segments of the youth population in need of financial literacy, workforce preparation and entrepreneurship  education.  For instance, since 2004, The Jim Moran Foundation has funded the startup of Junior Achievement's Northside programs and the early phase of our JA Girl$ initiative.  The Foundation has also provided critical matching funds to partner with others to support JA's programs.


Vistakon division of Johnson & Johnson logo 
The first Vistakon North Florida Golf Classic was held in 1986. Today, this highly successful fundraising golf tournament accounts for 20% of all Junior Achievement of North Florida revenue. Vistakon's Title Sponsorship and the sponsorships they recruit represent over 90% of the tournament's revenue. The March 12, 2014, tournament is Sold Out. Michael Mountan is Vistakon's representative on our Board and Co-Chair of the Golf Tournament Committee. Volunteers who make the tournament run smoothly are all Vistakon employees. Vistakon employees serve as JA volunteers and are a common sight in Jacksonville classrooms. Vistakon represents the type of company that not only says it wants to make a difference, it does just that.
CURRENT VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Our programs make volunteering easy--we provide the training and curriculum. All you need is a passion for helping kids succeed! For more info please contact Tiffany Mackey at 904-398-9944 ext. 230 or email [email protected].
  
Annie R Morgan Elementary
Biscayne Elementary
Carter G Woodson ElementaryJA volunteer teaching students
Crown Point Elementary
Crystal Springs Elementary
Ed White High School
Greenland Pines Elementary
Hogan Spring Glen Elementary
Jean Ribault High School
Julington Creek Elementary
Liberty Pines Elementary
Mandarin Middle School
Paxon School for Advanced Studies
Robert E Lee High School
SP Livingston Elementary
Tiger Academy Elementary
Twin Lakes Elementary
West Jacksonville Elementary
Wolfson High School
  
JA Girl$ and JA Boy$

Beaches Habitat for Humanity - Middle School
Community Connections - Grades 3-5
Girls With Goals - Middle School
Joseph Finegan Elementary - May 15th
The Bridge of Northeast Florida - Grades 3-5
The Noble School - High School

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Junior Achievement of North Florida
4049 Woodcock Dr. Suite 200
Jacksonville, FL 32207
904-398-9944
Copyright � 2014. All Rights Reserved.