Jenise Fernandez, Anchor/Reporter
Kathleen Corso, Special Projects Producer

Published: June 22, 2021

COCONUT CREEK, Fla. – More than 100 years ago, a program that now reaches nearly five million students a year in the United States was formed.

Junior Achievement became the source of a variety of in-school programs and helps middle and high school students gain real-world experience through JA-World.

Lexie Sealy was in grade school when she first paid a visit to the unique business model in Coconut Creek.

“We’re each able to choose a job we wanted to so people were able to work at Local10 News, Chick-fil-A, NSU University, so everyone had a lot of opportunities choose what they wanted to do and to explore different areas of business and real life,” Sealy said.

Now the experience has come full circle as she leads her team from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland to a national competition for their business concept called “Smile Senders.”