Junior Achievement of Wisconsin: Receives STATE grant from Wal-Mart Foundation

For More Information Contact:

Rich Merkel

Junior Achievement of WI, Inc.

414-352-5350

rmerkel@jawis.org

Funding will increase work readiness program implementation for high school students.

[Milwaukee, WI] – Junior Achievement of Wisconsin announced today that it received a grant from the Wal-Mart Foundation to fund implementation of the 2010-11 High School Work Readiness Outreach. The grant was issued through Wal-Mart’s State Giving Program, an effort to provide opportunities for people to live better through programs that have a long lasting positive impact.

The $43,000 grant will enable Junior Achievement to implement two rigorous workforce readiness program, JA Careers with A Purpose and JA Success Skills, in 85 classrooms across the state during the 2010-11 school year. In all 1900 high school students will evaluate their current workforce knowledge, then work to identify, develop and practice their employability skills. A trained adult business volunteer will facilitate the program in each class.

“Junior Achievement is extremely appreciative of Wal-Mart’s support throughout the state of Wisconsin,” says Tim Greinert, Junior Achievement President. “This partnership will allow us to expand our reach, helping equip more young people with “real world” skills that they can utilize for a successful future.”

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin

Junior Achievement is building stronger communities through programs that teach work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship. During the most recently completed 2009-10 school year more than 165,000 Wisconsin students (grades kindergarten through twelve) participated in JA.