Walmart Foundation gives $40,000 for Junior Achievement programs throughout South Carolina

GREENVILLE, SC – March 15, 2012 – Thousands of elementary, middle and high school students across South Carolina now will get access to programs that foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills thanks to a $40,000 grant from the Walmart Foundation.

Junior Achievement (JA) of South Carolina’s mission is for young people to be inspired and prepared to succeed in a global economy. In order to succeed, high school graduation is essential. Unfortunately, schools across the country currently face a national crisis with nearly 7,000 students dropping out of school each day.

South Carolina mandates require financial literacy education for students, but reduced educational resources and personnel have strained the ability to deliver in a meaningful way.  The need encouraged the three JA affiliates in South Carolina (Columbia, Charleston and Greenville) to work together to provide proven, volunteer taught lessons in financial literacy. JA programs are aligned with State Teaching Standards at all grade levels. 

Using the funds from the Walmart Foundation, JA will implement its proven, researched and age-appropriate activities and lessons based on the recommendations of the program staff and the school districts in each county. JA offices will confirm participation with school educators, then recruit and train business volunteers from the local community to teach the programs to an assigned class.
 
Volunteers will visit the classroom (five visits for elementary programs, six visits for middle school programs and seven visits for high school programs) to facilitate the hands-on activities. The JA volunteer presence in the classroom cannot be over-emphasized as they serve as role models and show the relevance of education. The lessons are sequential and the volunteer-student relationship grows and more trust is earned with each visit.
 
“The programs demonstrate to students the direct relevance of what they are learning in school to their futures, and a greater understanding of the value of having a high school diploma,” said Greg Ley, area market manager for Wal-Mart. “The program is proven to instill students with the internal drive and belief that they can be successful.”
 
The dropout crisis has a devastating impact on the future health of the economy. Over the course of a lifetime, a high school dropout earns about $260,000 less than a high school graduate and contributes about $60,000 less in taxes. Overall, dropouts are twice as likely as graduates to be unemployed; three times as likely to live in poverty; eight times more likely to wind up in prison; and twice as likely to become the parent of a child who drops out of school.
 
“The program’s goal is to equip youth with knowledge and skills regarding financial literacy and work-readiness as they make decisions about education and careers,” said Chad Vail, President of Junior Achievement of Coastal SC, based in Charleston.  “As students’ confidence about finances and knowledge about the workplace increase, their attitudes and behaviors begin to demonstrate that they understand the relevancy and value of education. They get it.
 

About Philanthropy at Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) and the Walmart Foundation are proud to support the charitable causes that are important to customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. Through its philanthropic programs and partnerships, the Walmart Foundation funds initiatives focused on creating opportunities in education, workforce development, economic opportunity, environmental sustainability, and health and wellness. From Feb. 1, 2009 through Jan. 31, 2010, Walmart and the Walmart Foundation gave more than $512 million in cash and in-kind gifts globally, $467 million of which was donated in the U.S. To learn more, visit www.walmartfoundation.org.

About Junior Achievement (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 programs 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. Today, JA reaches four million students per year in more than 120 markets across the United States, with an additional 6.5 million students served by operations in 117 other countries worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.