Junior Achievement To Host “Your Economic Success” Program at G.A.R. Memorial Middle School

WILKES-BARRE, PA – May 16, 2023—Junior Achievement of NEPA announced the launch of the YES (Your Economic Success) pilot program at G.A.R. Memorial Middle School on May 24th in partnership with Procter & Gamble, the Pennsylvania State Police, and the City of Wilkes-Barre. This interactive, hands-on experience will introduce students to a world of future work options and the role that personal and financial decisions will have on their adult lives.

The entire 7th grade class of over 330 students will experience a morning filled with JA career readiness and financial fitness programs delivered by a diverse group of volunteers from P&G, the State Police and the City of Wilkes-Barre who will have the opportunity to share their backgrounds and experiences and help the students gain a vision of their own future success.

“We believe that young people, with the right mentoring and influences, can change the communities in which we live. Our goal is to help students graduate from high school with a vision of their own future success and a pathway to get there. Programs like “YES” Your Economic Success, help students find their passions and expose them to a wide variety of career opportunities,” said Susan Magnotta, President, Junior Achievement of NEPA.

The YES experience will help connect kids with the needs of the community, learn from experienced mentors, and discover all of the opportunities that are right here in their own backyard.

“Our 7th grade students are already looking forward to making important decisions in the coming year that will pave the way to determine possible learning paths at the high school level. Our high school programming offers a Business Academy, Center for Performing Arts, STEM Academy, and more! By exposing students to various career paths now through the help of the “YES” program, students have the opportunity to begin thinking about their future, their interests, and begin exploring these opportunities, said Melissa Myers, Principal of GAR Memorial Middle School.”

Students who participate in the YES experience will:

Connect students with volunteers from diverse backgrounds.
Explore career pathways and learn about the skills needed to enter the workforce.
Recognize career clusters that match their skills and interests.
Learn how to properly present themselves to potential employers.
Assess their soft skills and identify room for improvement.

Sponsorships are critical for Junior Achievement to continue providing life-changing programs to students in our community. We would like to thank the many sponsors helping to bring Junior Achievement Programs like YES to students in Northeastern Pennsylvania. If you would like to join in the growing movement of sponsors and volunteers committed to give local students a vision of their own future success and a pathway to get there, visit nepa.ja.org or contact Susan Magnotta, President, at 570-602-3600.

About Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement is the nation’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA’s programs – in the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy – ignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and reality of work and life in the 21st century. Nationally, Junior Achievement reaches more than 4.8 million students per year.

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