For Immediate Release
For More Information Contact:
Amy Boroff
Director of Development and Marketing
Junior Achievement of New Jersey
Phone: 908-889-2229
Email: aboroff@ja.org
Latino Professionals and Community Organizations Unite to Inspire Latino Youth to Dream Big
NEWARK, NJ – Junior Achievement of New Jersey (JANJ) is proud to announce the 2012 Latino JA Community Initiative – Narrowing the Achievement Gap. As the premier platform for bringing together the Latino community to inspire youth to dream big and reach their fullest potential, members of Latino organizations and professional resource groups are joining to share their personal stories with Latino youth emphasizing the importance of staying in school and providing them with a vision of the opportunities that await them.
JANJ in partnership with the NJ chapters of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), the National Society of Hispanic MBA’s (NSHMBA), the Hispanic Bar Association (HBA) and the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; HISPA; the NJ Department of Banking and Insurance; Prudential’s HHN; will host the Latino Professional Community Forum followed by a JA Community Day, impacting nearly 1,000 youth in Newark.
The networking and informational Forum will be held on Tuesday, February 28, 2012 from 5:30-8:30pm in Prudential’s Dryden Hall, Newark where the Keynote speakers will discuss the state of NJ education as it relates to Latino youth and local workforce.
Keynote speakers include:
- Jorge Silva-Puras, United States Small Business Administration (SBA) Region II Administrator
- Susan Blount, Senior Vice President and General Counsel of Prudential
Carlos Lejnieks, CEO Big Brothers Big Sisters of Essex, Hudson & Union Counties, will receive the “JA Latino Leadership Award” for the significant and positive impact he has made on the Latino community. Additionally, a newly introduced “JA Latino Rising Star” award is being presented to Angelica Hughes of Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey recognizing her commitment to the Latino community through her service as a JA volunteer and her leadership role within her organization.
Following the forum, these organizations will put their words into action as mentors at Junior Achievement’s Community Day on Friday, March 9, 2012 from 8:30am-1:30pm at First Avenue School, Newark. Trained role models will deliver Junior Achievement’s K-8 financial literacy based programs to close to 1,000 Newark students.
“There is a vast need for more Latino role models for the youth,” says Orley J. Pacheco, vice president of Corporate Development, ALPFA NJ and chairman of the Latino Professional JA Community Initiative. “We are excited to impact all K-8 classes at First Avenue school and recognize the importance of coming together as a community. Through programs of this nature we hope to bring awareness to the positive impact we as adults can offer our future leaders.”
There is still an opportunity for individuals and companies to join this community initiative. Sponsoring a student ($37) or a classroom ($650) will help ensure that each student at First Avenue School receives the JA curriculum and is empowered to own their economic success. More information is available at www.janjevents.org
About Junior Achievement® (JA)
Junior Achievement’s (JA) mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JA provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12. JA offers work readiness programs that focus on seven key content areas: business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/character, financial literacy, and career development. JA programs reach over 4 million students per year, in 124 markets in urban, rural and suburban areas in all 50 states across the US. In New Jersey, JA will reach more than 46,000 students this school year. Visit www.janj.org.
