Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas Receives Houston Endowment Grant to Support Its JA Capstone Programs

$130,000 grant will give Houston area students hands-on learning experiences

HOUSTON, June 23, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas announced today that it has received a $130,000 grant from Houston Endowment to support its JA Capstone programs -- JA BizTown and JA Finance Park.  The JA Capstone programs introduce Houston area at-risk students to personal finance, career exploration and the importance of academic achievement in order to prepare them for adulthood.

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The JA Finance Park program allows students to build a foundation of intelligent, personal financial decision-making skills. They learn how to construct and adhere to a personal budget - including housing and food, savings, transportation, entertainment, health care and maintenance, utilities, clothing, and education.  The JA BizTown program allows students to learn what it takes to create and run a business, publish a newspaper, supervise employees, and hold elective office, while also learning what it means to personally earn and manage money.  Both programs foster a student's ability to plan for their future and make smart academic and economic choices.

"Houston Endowment continues to be an exceptional supporter of our efforts to give young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success," said Rick Franke , president of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. "This grant will enable our organization to expand these experiential programs which have already impacted more than 250,000 students over the past thirteen years."

Houston Endowment, a private philanthropic foundation established by Jesse H. and Mary Gibbs Jones in 1937, supports nonprofit organizations and educational institutions serving the greater Houston area.  Houston Endowment has been a supporter of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas since its first year of operation began in 1946.

For more information about JA Capstone programs, visit www.jahouston.org.

Source:
Kevin R. Hattery
Office: 713.682.4500, ext 231
khattery@jahouston.org

SOURCE Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas

RELATED LINKS
http://houston.ja.org