For Immediate Release
For More Information, Contact:
Jennifer Connolly
JA of Western Massachusetts
(413) 747-7670
[email protected]

Springfield, MA April 2018—Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, a local non-profit organization that provides financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career readiness education, announced today it was awarded a $7,500 grant from Wells Fargo. Funding from Wells Fargo will support Pathways to 21st Century Skills Project to provide students with the tools to develop the 21st century skills needed to become highly skilled, autonomous employees.

Pathways to 21st Century Skills leverages the skills, talent, educational and career opportunities of this region to create a cadre of role models from the community to weave multiple intersecting pathways for middle grade and high school students to engage with JA’s relevant curriculum and instructional materials, supplemental technology-driven simulations, job shadow experiences and competitions.
The projects goals are to improve students’ knowledge of financial literacy in order for them to make sound financial judgments in the future; increase students’ entrepreneurial skills; increase students’ critical thinking and problem-solving skills, while increasing awareness of career and post-secondary education and career opportunities in Western Massachusetts.

“JA of Western MA is very excited to have the opportunity to partner with Wells Fargo to bring our programs to middle grade students. Wells Fargo, like Junior Achievement, is dedicated to strengthening economic opportunities in underserved communities by empowering individuals with knowledge, and tools needed to ensure financial self-sufficiency to inspire own their economic success,” noted Jennifer Connolly, President of JA of Western Massachusetts.

“Wells Fargo has a rich history of community support in Massachusetts and we have personal connections to the people in our communities – many of whom we proudly call our customers,” said Ben Leonard, vice president, Wells Fargo Middle Market Banking in Springfield. “JA of Western Massachusetts provides critical financial literacy skills, entrepreneurship experiences and economic education to youth, helping them understand all the ways they can have successful futures.”

About JA of Western Massachusetts
Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts was founded in Springfield, MA in 1919 and is the birthplace of JA. Today more than 9300 students in grades K-12 in Western MA participate in JA programs annually. For more information, visit www.jawm.org