Junior Achievement and Staples Launch National Partnership Focused on Work and Career Readiness for America's Youth

Two-Year Collaboration Will Support Work and Career Readiness Initiatives Across the Country, as well as National Student Events and Programming for Teens Through Young Adults

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Junior Achievement USA (JA) and Staples today announced the creation of a new two-year partnership that will deliver work and career readiness learning experiences to JA students ranging from Middle School to Young Adults. This partnership will encompass local program support and volunteer engagement in eight communities served by JA, along with support for two national student events, aligning with Staples' philanthropic and community engagement priorities. The national partnership will also include collaboration on programming and curriculum for teenagers and young adults graduating out of the JA program and preparing to take their first career steps.

At the local level, investments will be made in eight selected local communities where both JA and Staples have a strong presence. This will include the engagement of Staples employees as volunteers and mentors for JA youth in communities Staples serves.

The eight communities are:

• Boston, MA
• Orlando, FL
• Chicago, IL
• Dallas, TX
• Des Moines, IA
• Atlanta, GA
• Philadelphia, PA
• Denver, CO

According to research by the Social Science Research Council, more than 4 million young Americans are "disconnected youth", those between the ages of 16 and 24 who are not working or in school. One key objectives of the JA and Staples national partnership is to help engage teenagers and young adults and help them better understand the connection between what they learn in school and future job and career opportunities.

"Junior Achievement has had a great collaboration with Staples on a community level for many years," said Tim Greinert, President of Junior Achievement USA. "This national partnership will open the doors of opportunity for so many more teens and young adults due to Staples' commitment to work and career readiness education. We greatly appreciate their support to inspire and prepare the next generation in the communities both of our organizations serve."

"As experts in the world of work and as a company of caring people, Staples is proud to continue our legacy of community involvement through our partnership with Junior Achievement USA," said John Lederer, CEO, Staples, Inc. "JA students have very bright futures ahead as entrepreneurs, leaders and business experts, and we're pleased to play a role in building the experts of tomorrow."

About Staples
Staples serves millions of customers, from businesses of all sizes to entrepreneurs, remote workers, parents, teachers, and students. Headquartered near Boston, Massachusetts, Staples operates through eCommerce, direct business-to-business sales, and approximately 1,000 retail stores across the United States. Explore more at a local Staples US Retail Store, online at Staples.com or in the Staples App.

About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA learning experiences are delivered by corporate and community volunteers and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Additionally, Junior Achievement is expanding its reach to 18-to-25-year-olds to provide young adults with critical life skills, as well as to pre-K youth to ensure children get a solid head start. Today, JA reaches more than 4.4 million students per year in 102 markets across the United States as part of 12.5 million students served by operations in more than 100 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. For more information, visit www.ja.org.

SOURCE Junior Achievement USA