Alcoa Foundation announces grant to Junior Achievement

HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) – Alcoa Foundation has announced its financial support to Junior
Achievement of Southwestern Indiana (JA), an organization that aims to “inspire and prepare young people to succeed in the global economy.”

Officials with the Alcoa Foundation say JA has been awarded Foundation funds to support JA JobSpark and JA Pathways programming for students in Vanderburgh, Warrick and Spencer counties during the 2024-25 school year. The support from Alcoa Foundation will help more JA students to identify careers that interest them and to learn skills to become valuable, contributing workers once they enter the job market.

A spokesperson for the foundation says JA JobSpark is a two-day, hands-on career exploration expo for eighth-grade students in the region, and JA Pathways integrates JA curricula into schools to provide critical lessons in financial literacy, marketing principles and entrepreneurial training for those students.

“From the support, we have been able to double the JA JobSpark spaces, booking bigger venues, giving us room to help more local students seek career opportunities,” said Melissa Bassemier, JA Director of Development. “Amazing partners such as Alcoa Foundation keep our program running and make community uplift possible.”

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