Press

Debt.com Turns 10 and Celebrates by Teaching Financial Literacy to Students

The nation’s premier debt-solutions company partners with the nation’s largest financial literacy program and awards $500 to one lucky student each semester.

PRNEWSWIRE.COM

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.April 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Debt.com is celebrating 10 years of helping adults get out of debt – by teaching children to never go into debt. By partnering with Junior Achievement (JA) of South Florida, Debt.com can offer debt-busting lessons to 20,000 8th graders every school year.

Since 2009, JA has been mentoring students in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy at JA World.  In celebration of financial literacy month, Debt.com ran a give-a-way and awarded one lucky winner $500 to be used for savings, investing, or helping with educational expenses. Iann Heredia of Coral Springs, FL was the winner – and he’s going to spend the money to learn more.

“The high school that I’m going into has a lot of tech-based courses like video technology and cyber security, so I’m going to need a computer for that,” Iann says. “So, I’m going to buy a computer!”

Hearing that pleased Debt.com President Don Silvestri . “We want to celebrate partnering with JA World by giving back to the students, and Iann just proves what we already knew: Those who go through JA World emerge with a brighter future. Without Junior Achievement of South Florida, an entire generation might not learn these valuable lessons .”

Debt.com’s JA storefront will add to that education. It features financial lessons on a variety of topics, such as how credit scores work, the true cost of credit when interest is applied, planning for family costs, and purchasing a home.

About: Debt.com is the consumer website where people can find help with credit card debt, student loan debt, tax debt, credit repair, bankruptcy, and more. Debt.com works with vetted and certified providers that give the best advice and solutions for consumers ‘when life happens.’

SOURCE Debt.com

Debt.com Turns 10 and Celebrates by Teaching Financial Literacy to Students
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Let’s Talk Magazine: JA World Uncorked 2023

JA World Uncorked 2023

Let’s Talk Magazine

Exotic, glamorous, risque, festive, exciting… These are all words that could be used to describe Moulin Rouge. Perhaps, that is why the enticing concept was used as a theme for the latest JA World Uncorked, held on January 28 at the JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, 1130 Coconut Creek Blvd. in Coconut Creek. Hosted by the Circle of Wise Women, this yearly event benefits Junior Achievement of South Florida.

The theme wasn’t the only thing they changed this year. The event continues to improve, and this year, they brought in more money than ever before – a historic $345,000 and more than 700 guests!

Also this year, the food options seemed more diverse than ever, and delicious, everything from a light and airy panna cotta to a soul-satisfying smoky pulled pork. Guests could start with trying a Caesars salad and tortilla soup and maybe grab some of Yot’s famous fish dip and move on to items like sliders, prime rib, pasta, sashimi and countless other delectable options from local restaurants, and then finish with desserts like cookies, cake, cream puffs, tarts or Italian Ice.

The spirits on hand were just as plentiful and varied. Guests could choose a refreshing and lemony light KLEO-Patra, a mixture of the Greek spirit KLEOS, lemon juice, simple syrup and basil, or opt for a taste of a creamy Pennyslvania Dutch Salted Caramel drink. They could sip their favorite wines, grab a gelatin shot, choose a craft beer from Funky Budha, enjoy Canyon’s prickly pear margarita and more. There was even an espresso martini cart, by Gray Robinson, P.A, where the purveyor got on the bicycle attached and pedaled to grind his own coffee! Yvette and Bob Birdsong sponsored a welcome cocktail for everyone… the Capital Grill Stoli Doli. The variety of wine, spirits, beer and seltzers kept guests happy all night long and the culinary options kept them smiling. DJs played music throughout while guests roamed.

Let’s Talk Magazine: JA World Uncorked 2023
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Go Riverwalk Magazine: JA’s Educational Programs

JA World Uncorked Returns to Help Students Thrive

Go Riverwalk

January 2023 Edition

Throughout her high school career, Jonerra Henrisnor has soaked up financial literacy, entrepreneurship skills and career readiness through several programs at Junior Achievement of South Florida.

The Stranahan High School senior, who aspires to attend Florida A&M University and eventually become an orthodontist, has been involved in different JA programs, including its career bound and summer internship programs. She has even gone on to get a job at State Farm as part of their youth employment program where she has already gotten her Florida 4-40 Customer Representative license and is working toward getting her life insurance license.

Henrisnor is one of 54,000 students that the South Florida organization reaches each year. “It’s amazing to see how far she’s come,” said Kenneth Hart, one of her teachers at Stranahan High School. “I had her as a ninth grader and she was always intelligent and just very bright even before she was put into the Junior Achievement Program.

“But now, as a senior, after getting involved in their programs, I can see how it helped her harness her abilities and put them towards her life outside of school. It gave her something new to work towards,” Hart said. Attending JA of South Florida has been a positive experience, Henrisnor said.

Go Riverwalk Magazine: JA’s Educational Programs
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WSVN: New Rick Case Interactive Storefront

New Rick Case interactive storefront gives students real-world experience into the auto industry

COCONUT CREEK, FLA. (WSVN) – South Florida students recently got a first-hand experience of what it is like to work in the auto industry.

The brand-new, state-of-the-art interactive Rick Case storefront is part of “JA BizTown,” a simulated city in JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, the largest single JA facility in the world.

“Our goal was to make our storefront both engaging and educational for the students,” said President and CEO of the Rick Case Auto Group Rita Case. “We want young people to know that the auto industry is a vital part of our economy and provides great career opportunities, as well.”

JA BizTown is a collection of businesses sponsored by real local businesses, designed to demonstrate how a functioning economy works, as students play roles as executives, associates, and consumers at businesses within the town.

Click to learn more about JA BizTown.

WSVN: New Rick Case Interactive Storefront
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SFBW September 2022: The Beacon

HOW JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA LIT UP THE LIFE AND DREAMS OF A STRANAHAN HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR

South Florida Business & Wealth
September 2022
By Drew Limsky

Junior Achievement gave 17-year-old Jayden Bonhomme something that school could not. And that’s the point. This is a story of burgeoning self-esteem,validation, and an epiphany that his varied interests could lead to a viable career path.

Through its Youth Employment program, which is part of JA Career Bound, the organization helps teenagers prepare for the workforce. They learn interviewing skills, presentation skills, collaboration, conflict resolution, networking, how different companies in varied sectors function—in short, the real world.

“Research says that students graduate from high school knowing only about five to eight jobs,” says Laurie Sallarulo, president and CEO of JA of South Florida. The program serves to remedy that. For Bonhomme, JA—and Career Bound, in particular—made him envision a future as a health care administrator. “I became acquainted with Junior Achievement in high school during my freshman year,” Bonhomme recalls. “I remember everyone was getting dressed up for mock interviews, and I thought, I want to be a part of that.” The first time Bonhomme walked into JA’s Town Square, for a field trip during his sophomore year, he noted the breadth of the organization’s reach—various colleges, Broward Health, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, the FBI and the military were all represented.

SFBW September 2022: The Beacon
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JA Receives $20,000 Grant From MONAT Gratitude

JA’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a competitive, global economy

Lifestyle Media Group
May 26, 2022

MONAT Gratitude has awarded Junior Achievement of South Florida a $20,000 grant as part of its $1 million pledge to close achievement gaps in underserved communities worldwide. The grant will provide funding for 68 students to participate in JA Fellows, a highly intensive leadership and entrepreneurship program for high school students.

The grant results from MONAT Gratitude’s efforts to support new and existing initiatives in arts and culture, youth sports and recreation, and youth entrepreneurship. MONAT Gratitude has invested more than $380,000 in youth education programs globally in 2022.

“Nonprofit organizations receiving grants from MONAT Gratitude are focused on enriching our youth with arts and culture, sports, entrepreneurship and recreation education because we’ve learned that extracurricular activities in these areas promote development of motor, language and social skills,” Lu Urdaneta says, CEO of MONAT Gratitude. “By supporting these programs, we hope to positively impact student outcomes in communities across the globe.”

MONAT Gratitude was founded in 2014 by MONAT Global, an international healthy aging haircare, skincare and wellness brand. A Florida registered nonprofit organization, MONAT Gratitude partners with innovative nonprofit organizations in its local communities that support efforts under its three pillars: families, children and education.

“We envision a world in which young people have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities,” Laurie Sallarulo says, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida, based in Coconut Creek. “We also believe education can be a catalyst to a life of opportunity and true economic mobility. Junior Achievement is honored to provide over 54,000 students annually with top-quality educational programs to improve their knowledge and financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship skills. Thanks to funders like MONAT Gratitude, Junior Achievement is empowering young people to own their economic success.”

Eligible nonprofit organizations can learn more and apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 through MONAT Gratitude’s grant page at monatgratitudegoal.com.

JA Receives $20,000 Grant From MONAT Gratitude
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Go Riverwalk January 2022: A Triumphant Return

SAMPLE DISHES AND DRINKS FROM LOCAL CHEFS AND VENDORS AT JA WORLD UNCORKED

Go Riverwalk
Fort Lauderdale’s City Magazine
January 2022

The non-profit organization Junior Achievement of South Florida has been making an impact on K-12 students for more than 60 years. With 20 different programs, their focus is on instilling students with the confidence to navigate their futures through learning about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

“Our programs are realistic and impactful. It’s all about teaching kids real-world skills they might not learn anywhere else, and we have 55,000 plus students who come through JA World each year,” said Diana Metcalf, director of development at Junior Achievement of South Florida.

Unfortunately, for JA, one of its biggest fundraising events had to be cancelled earlier this year due to Covid but luckily this Jan. 29, the JA World Uncorked event will finally be making its triumphant return. The annual event is hosted by one of the Junior Achievement’s biggest supporters, the Circle of Wise Women, which was founded in 2009 with the goal of supporting the organization and its programs in a substantial way.

“When we first founded the Circle of Wise Women, we had a very simple mission — to advocate for and support Junior Achievement of South Florida and their programs,” said Metcalf.

Since its inception, the group has raised more than $4.5 million for Junior Achievement of South Florida, and more specifically through its signature event, the annual JA World Uncorked. At the culinary showcase, guests may sample gourmet bites prepared by leading South Florida chefs and sip on wines, spirits, craft beers and cocktails from local vendors.

Go Riverwalk January 2022: A Triumphant Return
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Comcast Newsmakers: Training the Next Generation of Workers

COMCAST NEWSMAKERS
Hosted by:Nathalia Ortiz Produced by: Florida Newsmakers Team
Posted: December 06, 2021

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Florida’s unemployment rate jumped to as high as 14%. While things have improved since early 2020, organizations like Junior Achievement of South Florida have proven vital in assisting the next generation of talent by getting them ready for the workforce. Organization President and CEO Laurie Sallarulo talks about their programs.

Comcast Newsmakers: Training the Next Generation of Workers
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Sun Sentinel: Building the Next Generation of Thinkers and Innovators

OPINION
By LAURIE SALLARULO AND DONNA KORN
SPECIAL TO THE SUN SENTINEL | DEC 03, 2021 AT 8:00 AM

Unleashing the highest potential of every young person is at the core of Broward County Public Schools and Junior Achievement of South Florida’s missions. The partnership between the two organizations has deepened over the past 13 years and is focused on integrating relevant, experiential Junior Achievement programs around work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy into core curriculum. These programs provide classroom lessons and simulations that help students connect academics and real life while building knowledge, skills, habits and mindsets that prepare them for success.

In addition to teaching work skills, another common goal of BCPS and Junior Achievement is exposing students to pathways that spark their interest and passion. A key pathway is entrepreneurship. Entrepreneurship education builds character as well as critical thinking skills, which prepare students for any path our students decide to pursue.

Entrepreneurship education not only provides the capacity to start companies, which more and more young people are interested in today, but also teaches students from all socioeconomic backgrounds to think creatively, solve problems, work collaboratively, build confidence and develop talents and skills critical to success.

Entrepreneurship education is a lifelong learning experience, starting as early as elementary school and progressing through higher education. Studies of high-school-level curricula in youth entrepreneurship report that students increase their career goals, interest in college and leadership behavior after participating in entrepreneurship programs. In addition, the study shows that students who participate in entrepreneurship education are four times more likely to develop a sense of ownership — businesses, homes, cars, financial and job ownership.

Each year, Junior Achievement of South Florida provides entrepreneurship education to over 600 high school students across 28 BCPS high schools. Over the course of the school year, these students develop problem solving, communication, collaboration, presentation and critical thinking skills by starting real operating companies, taking them from ideation to capitalization to dissolution. Students source, market and sell their products, learning about supply chain and logistics management, customer service and financing. Student company teams compete locally and nationally for Company of the Year status. This program is transformative!

But this education should be available to every student. This type of learning can help address systemic inequities in our education system, as research suggests that at-risk students who develop these skills early are more likely to enroll in post-secondary education, be prepared for the workforce, and engage in entrepreneurial activity. Entrepreneurship education can provide a chance for every student to change their circumstances and self‐determine their future. It can create a level playing field where the best ideas win.

The nature of the workforce is changing rapidly and we must focus on getting our students ready to succeed in the new global marketplace. Preparing today’s students to succeed in tomorrow’s world requires that students be prepared with the capacity to achieve not only in business as we know it today but in future business models that we have yet to explore. This is a pivotal responsibility for education today. It is imperative that we all play a role in this responsibility. Corporate leaders must invest in preparing the future workforce; parents must advocate for entrepreneurial education, ensuring their children possess the entrepreneurial spirit and mindset they’ll need to be successful; and local, state and federal political leaders need to support this curriculum as a core competency in education.

Junior Achievement of South Florida and Broward County Public Schools continue to explore expanded opportunities to work together to provide more students with an entrepreneurial opportunity along their educational journey.

We can all be a catalyst in creating a vibrant, equitable culture of innovation and entrepreneurship for all of our children. Join Junior Achievement and BCPS in this educational movement! For more information about Junior Achievement entrepreneurship programs, how to get involved as a mentor or advocate or to support these programs, visit jasouthflorida.org/ja-fellows.

Laurie Sallarulo is President and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida, and Donna Korn is a member of the Broward County School Board.

Sun Sentinel: Building the Next Generation of Thinkers and Innovators
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PRNewswire: 3 Mavins’ Partners With Junior Achievement

South Florida-based Craft Beer 3 Mavins’ Partners With Junior Achievement At ‘Ultimate Night Out’ Event at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino on October 28, 2021

NEWS PROVIDED BY
3 Mavins’
Oct 20, 2021, 10:30 ET

LAUDERDALE LAKES, Fla.Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — 3 Mavins’, South Florida’s newest craft beer sensation, has been selected as the exclusive craft beer at Junior Achievement of South Florida’s prestigious ‘Ultimate Night Out’ sold-out fundraiser event at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, FL. Junior Achievement is a national non-profit dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for the future and make smart academic and economic choices.

3 Mavins’ is an American Style Lager brewed in Lakeland, Florida. The company was founded with the same entrepreneurial principles that Junior Achievement aims to inspire in the youth of today. 3 Mavins’ was born out of the idea that simple clean ingredients should take precedence over the infinite supply of craft beers that are either too fruity, sour, bitter or hoppy for the average beer consumer. The American Style Lager with notes of honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup, is the perfect refreshment to pair with meals and share with friends and family to celebrate happy occasions.

“I’m a big believer in experiential learning and fascinated with business innovation,” said Kevin Thomas, CEO of 3 Mavins’. “Partnering with Junior Achievement on this exciting event and supporting the next generation of entrepreneurs aligns perfectly with our company’s mission.”

About 3 Mavins’

South Florida-based craft beer 3 Mavins’ was created in an apartment kitchen in Lauderdale Lakes, FL in 2019 and now is commercially produced in Lakeland, Florida. The “Mavin” name comes from a combination of the founders names: Kevin, Maja and their dog Windy. Kevin and Maja have tasted beer in more than 40 countries and applied their knowledge and refined tastes to 3 Mavins’ American Style Lager. Mavin is a derivative spelling of Maven —  defined as one who is experienced or knowledgeable and known as an expert. The American Style Lager caters to regular beer drinkers who like to enjoy a fine, simple beer with friends & family. For more information on South Florida’s newest craft beer sensation, please go to www.3mavins.com and follow us on Instagram @3mavinsbeer.

About Junior Achievement of South Florida

Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) inspires and prepares youth to succeed in a global economy. JA provides real-world training in financial literacy including budgeting, spending, investing and the use of credit; offers cutting-edge skill-building opportunities that enable young people to explore meaningful, productive careers; teaches students how to start businesses; and introduces entrepreneurial values that strengthen workplaces. Last year, with the help of over 7,100 trained corporate and community volunteers, JA delivered over 20 various programs to almost 50,000 students in classrooms throughout Broward and south Palm Beach counties at JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, a first-class facility housing JA Biz Town and JA Finance Park. For more information about JA of South Florida, visit www.JASouthFlorida.org. Follow JA on social media @jasouthflorida.

PRNewswire: 3 Mavins’ Partners With Junior Achievement
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