Junior Achievement Recognizes 39 Organizations With U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Awards

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., March 5, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- At its quarterly Board of Directors meeting held earlier today, Junior Achievement USA^® announced that 39 organizations will receive 2012-2013 U.S. President's Volunteer Service Awards. The organizations receiving the awards provided Junior Achievement with significant volunteer resources during the year.

President George W. Bush established the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation (the Council) in 2003 to recognize the valuable contributions volunteers make in communities and encourage more people to serve. The Council created the President's Volunteer Service Award program as a way to thank and honor Americans who, by their demonstrated commitment and example, inspire others to engage in volunteer service. In 2006, Junior Achievement became an official certifying organization for this award, which recognizes corporations with a U.S. presence that provide volunteers to teach JA programs anywhere in the world.

Junior Achievement's kindergarten through high school programs are delivered across the country by a network of more than 200,000 volunteers. JA programs provide innovative, hands-on work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy education and reach more than 4.4 million students annually.

The corporations receiving the 2012-2013 U.S. President's Volunteer Service Award provided 15,000 hours (Gold Level), 10,000 hours (Silver Level) or 5,000 hours (Bronze Level) of volunteer support to Junior Achievement. The entire list of recipients is located here.

 "Junior Achievement volunteers are an important catalyst for our students. Our volunteers share their personal and professional experiences and skills with students while delivering our programs. This helps young people to make connections between what they are learning in school and how those lessons connect to their success as adults," said Jack E. Kosakowski, president and chief executive officer of Junior Achievement USA.

"Junior Achievement is grateful for the dedication of its volunteers, who give of their time and talent to help build communities by empowering the next generation's success," said Larry A. Leva, global vice chairman of Quality and Risk Management for KPMG International and chairman of the Junior Achievement USA Board of Directors. "We are also setting a standard for service and fostering civic participation."

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 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 4.4 million students per year in 118 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.7 million students served by operations in 120 other countries worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.

SOURCE Junior Achievement USA