| SPRINGFIELD Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts announced recently that it has received two grants to support after school activities. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund has awarded a grant of $10,000 to the operation to launch or expand after-school programs and increase financial literacy among the area's young people. The partnership between the JCPenney Afterschool Fund and JA Worldwide has been vital to the development and growth of the JA Afterschool Initiative. The JCPenney Afterschool Fund is working with JA of Western Massachusetts to develop long-term involvement in after-school programs, leading to increased competencies in the core programming areas, improve social well-being and academic excellence. According to the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice (2000) "Students in quality after-school programs have better academic performance, behavior, and school attendance, and greater expectations of the future." "This generous JCPenney Afterschool Fund grant will allow us to provide hands-on, quality educational experiences for students K-12 beyond traditional classroom hours. JA programs delivered in the after-school setting create engaging, academically enriching experiences for a diversity of our children in western Massachusetts," Jacques de Villier, president of JA of Western Massachusetts, said. JA after-school programs have grown from six in 2003 to 49 in 2005. JA and the JCPenney Afterschool Fund will partner with the North Adams 21st Century Learning Center, the Dunbar Community Center, the North End Youth Center, The South End Youth Center (YMCA), and local Boys and Girls Clubs to "create the link between learning and earning." The MetLife Foundation has awarded a grant of $10,000 to the operation to launch or expand after-school programs and increase financial literacy among the area's young people. The grant to JA of Western Massachusetts is part of the MetLife Foundation After-School Fund, a three-year, $600,000 initiative to bring JA after-school programs to scale locally and nationally. The operation will also use MetLife Foundation's grants to leverage matching dollars and involvement locally. The purpose of the MetLife Foundation After-School Fund is to establish new after-school partnerships, strengthen local funding sources, reach more economically disadvantaged children and youth and provide young people with constructive activities that increase financial literacy during after-school hours. "This generous MetLife Foundation grant to our operation will allow us to reach even more young people with our business and economic educational programs," de Villier added, . "The additional benefit is that the JA programs will bring even more educational value to students after school by delivering these lessons in a safe and secure environment. We are extremely grateful for MetLife Foundation's support of JA of Western Massachusetts and our after-school efforts." "Far too many young people lack constructive activities after school," said Sibyl Jacobson, president of MetLife Foundation. "We are pleased to partner with JA to transform the after-school hours into a time of learning, opportunity, and fun." |
