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South Florida Broadband Careers Awareness Day

South Florida Broadband Careers Awareness Day is expected to set the national template for other states

WIRELESSESTIMATOR.COM

South Florida will host the first national Broadband Careers Awareness Day, a broadband industry coalition led by Broadband Careers and supported by Junior Achievement of South Florida and Neptuno USA, Corp.

Open to the public at no charge (REGISTER HERE), the promoters have provided an opportunity for telecommunication companies, education providers, industry associations, and representatives of state, local, and federal agencies to convene on Friday, October 27, 2023, at the Junior Achievement of South Florida facilities at 1130 Coconut Creek Blvd, Coconut Creek, FL to brainstorm and discuss the many challenges and opportunities that are arising around broadband deployment.

There will also be a strong focus on the attractive career paths offered to the youth looking to enter a dynamic, rewarding, and essential workforce.

Junior Achievement serves 80,000 students in Broward and South Palm Beach counties through the efforts of more than 7,000 volunteers.

Commissioner Carr and other dignitaries will be represented

FCC Commissioner Brendan Carr, an avid supporter of workforce development, will provide virtual opening remarks to attendees that will include Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman-Schultz; Sean Lewis, Florida’s Chief of Broadband Initiatives; as well as officials from the City of Coconut Creek and representatives of Broward College, Miami Dade Community College, and Learning Alliance.

Representing industry associations will be Dr. Gemma Frock, Director of Workforce Development for NATE: The Communications Infrastructure Contractors Association, and Amelia de Jesus, Vice President of Workforce Solutions for WIA – the Wireless Infrastructure Association.

Miami Tech Works will also be in attendance. They have a coalition of over 200 stakeholders in the “tech” ecosystem that brings together a critical group of business leaders with education and training providers to align academic programs with the needs of employers.

Numerous industry companies like MasTec Network Solutions and SBA Communications Corporation support the initiative.

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Annual Brand-Owned Holiday Celebrates Confidence, Philanthropy, and Shining a Light on the Community

PRNEWSWIRE.COM

MIAMI, Sept. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — On October 10^th, 2023, It’s a 10 Haircare will be celebrating its 7^th Annual National Love Your Hair Day, with a star-studded, blowout Miami bash honoring the brand’s South Florida roots and the incredible philanthropic efforts achieved by CEO and founder, Carolyn Aronson. At the event, Carolyn will be unveiling her newest venture into men’s hair color with her husband, Jeff Aronson alongside longtime friend turned business partner, hip-hop legend Fat Joe. The new brand, Rewind it 10, is set to revolutionize the way men approach hair color, making it more accessible and stylish than ever before – brand ambassadors include some of the most influential men in pop culture today, featuring names such as DJ Khaled, Tank, Travis Kelce, Tyson Beckford, Jencarlos Canela, Stephen Thompson, Kevin Creekman, and, of course, Fat Joe.

The excitement doesn’t stop there – to give back to the community that made It’s a 10 the household name that it is today, Carolyn is excited to give fans nationwide a chance to join in on the fun with a TikTok and Instagram social media contest titled, #Itsa10ForMe, in which 10 lucky loyalists will be chosen to be flown in for the ultimate VIP experience. All over the country and even the world, fans of It’s a 10 have been looking forward to engaging with the brand in person, and Carolyn is thrilled to be able to make this dream come true.

Every year for National Love Your Hair Day, I love the opportunity to make the occasion bigger and better for the community I have created with It’s a 10, continuing on my mission to enhance the lives of others with haircare that embraces loving the crown you were born with,” said It’s a 10 CEO and founder, Carolyn Aronson. “I fell in love with hairstyling as a young girl, so I couldn’t be more proud of my work with the Junior Association of South Florida that is inspiring the next generation of future hairstylists to carry on this mission of self-love. This National Love Your Hair Day, I’m grateful to to celebrate in It’s a 10’s own backyard, joined by the full company, my loved ones and close friends, and my brand loyalists who truly make me so proud of what we have achieved together.”

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Debt.com Turns 10 and Celebrates by Teaching Financial Literacy to Students

The nation’s premier debt-solutions company partners with the nation’s largest financial literacy program and awards $500 to one lucky student each semester.

PRNEWSWIRE.COM

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Debt.com is celebrating 10 years of helping adults get out of debt – by teaching children to never go into debt. By partnering with Junior Achievement (JA) of South Florida, Debt.com can offer debt-busting lessons to 20,000 8^th graders every school year.

Since 2009, JA has been mentoring students in entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy at JA World. In celebration of financial literacy month, Debt.com ran a give-a-way and awarded one lucky winner $500 to be used for savings, investing, or helping with educational expenses. Iann Heredia of Coral Springs, FL was the winner – and he’s going to spend the money to learn more.

“The high school that I’m going into has a lot of tech-based courses like video technology and cyber security, so I’m going to need a computer for that,” Iann says. “So, I’m going to buy a computer!”

Hearing that pleased Debt.com President Don Silvestri . “We want to celebrate partnering with JA World by giving back to the students, and Iann just proves what we already knew: Those who go through JA World emerge with a brighter future. Without Junior Achievement of South Florida, an entire generation might not learn these valuable lessons .”

Debt.com’s JA storefront will add to that education. It features financial lessons on a variety of topics, such as how credit scores work, the true cost of credit when interest is applied, planning for family costs, and purchasing a home.

About: Debt.com is the consumer website where people can find help with credit card debt, student loan debt, tax debt, credit repair, bankruptcy, and more. Debt.com works with vetted and certified providers that give the best advice and solutions for consumers ‘when life happens.’

SOURCE Debt.com

Press

JA World Uncorked 2023

By Rachel Galvin

Let’s Talk Magazine

Exotic, glamorous, risque, festive, exciting… These are all words that could be used to describe Moulin Rouge. Perhaps, that is why the enticing concept was used as a theme for the latest JA World Uncorked, held on January 28 at the JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, 1130 Coconut Creek Blvd. in Coconut Creek. Hosted by the Circle of Wise Women, this yearly event benefits Junior Achievement of South Florida.

The theme wasn’t the only thing they changed this year. The event continues to improve, and this year, they brought in more money than ever before – a historic $345,000 and more than 700 guests!

Also this year, the food options seemed more diverse than ever, and delicious, everything from a light and airy panna cotta to a soul-satisfying smoky pulled pork. Guests could start with trying a Caesars salad and tortilla soup and maybe grab some of Yot’s famous fish dip and move on to items like sliders, prime rib, pasta, sashimi and countless other delectable options from local restaurants, and then finish with desserts like cookies, cake, cream puffs, tarts or Italian Ice.

The spirits on hand were just as plentiful and varied. Guests could choose a refreshing and lemony light KLEO-Patra, a mixture of the Greek spirit KLEOS, lemon juice, simple syrup and basil, or opt for a taste of a creamy Pennyslvania Dutch Salted Caramel drink. They could sip their favorite wines, grab a gelatin shot, choose a craft beer from Funky Budha, enjoy Canyon’s prickly pear margarita and more. There was even an espresso martini cart, by Gray Robinson, P.A, where the purveyor got on the bicycle attached and pedaled to grind his own coffee! Yvette and Bob Birdsong sponsored a welcome cocktail for everyone… the Capital Grill Stoli Doli. The variety of wine, spirits, beer and seltzers kept guests happy all night long and the culinary options kept them smiling. DJs played music throughout while guests roamed.

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Go Riverwalk Magazine: JA’s Educational Programs

JA World Uncorked Returns to Help Students Thrive

By Madelaine K. Boyer

Go Riverwalk

January 2023 Edition

Throughout her high school career, Jonerra Henrisnor has soaked up financial literacy, entrepreneurship skills and career readiness through several programs at Junior Achievement of South Florida.

The Stranahan High School senior, who aspires to attend Florida A&M University and eventually become an orthodontist, has been involved in different JA programs, including its career bound and summer internship programs. She has even gone on to get a job at State Farm as part of their youth employment program where she has already gotten her Florida 4-40 Customer Representative license and is working toward getting her life insurance license.

Henrisnor is one of 54,000 students that the South Florida organization reaches each year. “It’s amazing to see how far she’s come,” said Kenneth Hart, one of her teachers at Stranahan High School. “I had her as a ninth grader and she was always intelligent and just very bright even before she was put into the Junior Achievement Program.

“But now, as a senior, after getting involved in their programs, I can see how it helped her harness her abilities and put them towards her life outside of school. It gave her something new to work towards,” Hart said. Attending JA of South Florida has been a positive experience, Henrisnor said.

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Press

WSVN: New Rick Case Interactive Storefront

New Rick Case interactive storefront gives students real-world experience into the auto industry

BY 7 NEWS WSVN

OCTOBER 27, 2022

COCONUT CREEK, FLA. (WSVN) – South Florida students recently got a first-hand experience of what it is like to work in the auto industry.

The brand-new, state-of-the-art interactive Rick Case storefront is part of “JA BizTown,” a simulated city in JA World Huizenga Center at the Lillian S. Wells Pavilion, the largest single JA facility in the world.

“Our goal was to make our storefront both engaging and educational for the students,” said President and CEO of the Rick Case Auto Group Rita Case. “We want young people to know that the auto industry is a vital part of our economy and provides great career opportunities, as well.”

JA BizTown is a collection of businesses sponsored by real local businesses, designed to demonstrate how a functioning economy works, as students play roles as executives, associates, and consumers at businesses within the town.

Click to learn more about JA BizTown.

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HOW JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA LIT UP THE LIFE AND DREAMS OF A STRANAHAN HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR

South Florida Business & Wealth
September 2022
By Drew Limsky

Junior Achievement gave 17-year-old Jayden Bonhomme something that school could not. And that’s the point. This is a story of burgeoning self-esteem,validation, and an epiphany that his varied interests could lead to a viable career path.

Through its Youth Employment program, which is part of JA Career Bound, the organization helps teenagers prepare for the workforce. They learn interviewing skills, presentation skills, collaboration, conflict resolution, networking, how different companies in varied sectors function—in short, the real world.

“Research says that students graduate from high school knowing only about five to eight jobs,” says Laurie Sallarulo, president and CEO of JA of South Florida. The program serves to remedy that. For Bonhomme, JA—and Career Bound, in particular—made him envision a future as a health care administrator. “I became acquainted with Junior Achievement in high school during my freshman year,” Bonhomme recalls. “I remember everyone was getting dressed up for mock interviews, and I thought, I want to be a part of that.” The first time Bonhomme walked into JA’s Town Square, for a field trip during his sophomore year, he noted the breadth of the organization’s reach—various colleges, Broward Health, the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, the FBI and the military were all represented.

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JA Receives $20,000 Grant From MONAT Gratitude

JA’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a competitive, global economy

Lifestyle Media Group
May 26, 2022

MONAT Gratitude has awarded Junior Achievement of South Florida a $20,000 grant as part of its $1 million pledge to close achievement gaps in underserved communities worldwide. The grant will provide funding for 68 students to participate in JA Fellows, a highly intensive leadership and entrepreneurship program for high school students.

The grant results from MONAT Gratitude’s efforts to support new and existing initiatives in arts and culture, youth sports and recreation, and youth entrepreneurship. MONAT Gratitude has invested more than $380,000 in youth education programs globally in 2022.

“Nonprofit organizations receiving grants from MONAT Gratitude are focused on enriching our youth with arts and culture, sports, entrepreneurship and recreation education because we’ve learned that extracurricular activities in these areas promote development of motor, language and social skills,” Lu Urdaneta says, CEO of MONAT Gratitude. “By supporting these programs, we hope to positively impact student outcomes in communities across the globe.”

MONAT Gratitude was founded in 2014 by MONAT Global, an international healthy aging haircare, skincare and wellness brand. A Florida registered nonprofit organization, MONAT Gratitude partners with innovative nonprofit organizations in its local communities that support efforts under its three pillars: families, children and education.

“We envision a world in which young people have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities,” Laurie Sallarulo says, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of South Florida, based in Coconut Creek. “We also believe education can be a catalyst to a life of opportunity and true economic mobility. Junior Achievement is honored to provide over 54,000 students annually with top-quality educational programs to improve their knowledge and financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship skills. Thanks to funders like MONAT Gratitude, Junior Achievement is empowering young people to own their economic success.”

Eligible nonprofit organizations can learn more and apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $20,000 through MONAT Gratitude’s grant page at monatgratitudegoal.com.

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Go Riverwalk January 2022: A Triumphant Return

SAMPLE DISHES AND DRINKS FROM LOCAL CHEFS AND VENDORS AT JA WORLD UNCORKED

Go Riverwalk
Fort Lauderdale’s City Magazine
January 2022

The non-profit organization Junior Achievement of South Florida has been making an impact on K-12 students for more than 60 years. With 20 different programs, their focus is on instilling students with the confidence to navigate their futures through learning about financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

“Our programs are realistic and impactful. It’s all about teaching kids real-world skills they might not learn anywhere else, and we have 55,000 plus students who come through JA World each year,” said Diana Metcalf, director of development at Junior Achievement of South Florida.

Unfortunately, for JA, one of its biggest fundraising events had to be cancelled earlier this year due to Covid but luckily this Jan. 29, the JA World Uncorked event will finally be making its triumphant return. The annual event is hosted by one of the Junior Achievement’s biggest supporters, the Circle of Wise Women, which was founded in 2009 with the goal of supporting the organization and its programs in a substantial way.

“When we first founded the Circle of Wise Women, we had a very simple mission — to advocate for and support Junior Achievement of South Florida and their programs,” said Metcalf.

Since its inception, the group has raised more than $4.5 million for Junior Achievement of South Florida, and more specifically through its signature event, the annual JA World Uncorked. At the culinary showcase, guests may sample gourmet bites prepared by leading South Florida chefs and sip on wines, spirits, craft beers and cocktails from local vendors.

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CLICK FOR INFO ABOUT JA WORLD UNCORKED

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Comcast Newsmakers: Training the Next Generation of Workers

COMCAST NEWSMAKERS
Hosted by:Nathalia Ortiz Produced by: Florida Newsmakers Team
Posted: December 06, 2021

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Florida’s unemployment rate jumped to as high as 14%. While things have improved since early 2020, organizations like Junior Achievement of South Florida have proven vital in assisting the next generation of talent by getting them ready for the workforce. Organization President and CEO Laurie Sallarulo talks about their programs.

Press

Press

South Florida Broadband Careers Awareness Day

South Florida Broadband Careers Awareness Day is expected to set the national template for other states

Annual Brand-Owned Holiday Celebrates Confidence, Philanthropy, and Shining a Light on the Community

Debt.com Turns 10 and Celebrates by Teaching Financial Literacy to Students

The nation’s premier debt-solutions company partners with the nation’s largest financial literacy program and awards $500 to one lucky student each semester.

Let’s Talk Magazine: JA World Uncorked 2023

JA World Uncorked 2023

Go Riverwalk Magazine: JA’s Educational Programs

JA World Uncorked Returns to Help Students Thrive

WSVN: New Rick Case Interactive Storefront

New Rick Case interactive storefront gives students real-world experience into the auto industry

SFBW September 2022: The Beacon

HOW JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTH FLORIDA LIT UP THE LIFE AND DREAMS OF A STRANAHAN HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR

JA Receives $20,000 Grant From MONAT Gratitude

JA’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a competitive, global economy

Go Riverwalk January 2022: A Triumphant Return

SAMPLE DISHES AND DRINKS FROM LOCAL CHEFS AND VENDORS AT JA WORLD UNCORKED

Comcast Newsmakers: Training the Next Generation of Workers