Career Inspiration for Young Women

Junior Achievement (JA) of Southwest New England will debut a module of the new program they are developing with Junior League of Hartford at Hall High School in West Hartford next Wednesday, Dec. 17, aimed at inspiring young women for successful careers.  The half-day program will feature a dynamic panel of leading women business leaders from the region, followed by breakout sessions to engage students in exploring skills that can strengthen their career preparation.

The program is an offshoot of a new JA career and workforce readiness program for young women being developed in collaboration with Junior League of Hartford (JLH) called “JA Career Connections for Young Women.”

Providing students with positive adult role models, who illustrate ways to build self-confidence, develop skills and find avenues of success in our economic system, is a hallmark of Junior Achievement. This year Junior Achievement of Southwest New England is working to reach 36,000 students with real-world learning experiences that focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

The panelists for “Career Inspiration for Young Women” at Hall High School include:

• Cheryl Chase, executive vice president,      principal and general counsel, Chase Enterprises
• Jasiel Millette, cooperative advertising      specialist, Hartford Courant
• Carla Laracuente, Chief Compliance Officer, Law &      Communications Group, The Hartford

The moderator for the panel will be Angelica Spanos, a news reporter with FOX Connecticut.

Following the panel discussion, breakout sessions to be attended by the students include “The Importance of Soft Skills,” and “Your Personal Brand.”  The breakout sessions will be led by members of Junior League of Hartford, a local organization committed to developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

“We are pleased to be working with the Business and Finance Department at Hall High School, part of Career and Technical Education, in presenting the Career Inspiration program,” said Lou Golden, President of JA of Southwest New England.  “The students will get a glimpse of what it takes to succeed in a career, the range of opportunities they can pursue, and the specific challenges faced by women.  Empowering young people to own their economic success drives our efforts.”

Junior Achievement programs supplement school curricula by providing important life skills such as how to manage money, succeed in the workplace, or start a business that creates jobs. These programs help empower students to own their economic success. JA's unique delivery system, led by volunteers, provides the training, step-by-step lesson plans, and support necessary to build student skills. 

Last year, more than 2,500 volunteers - business professionals, parents, retirees, and college students – offered JA programs to students in nearly 150 schools throughout Hartford, Litchfield, New Haven, Windham, Tolland, New London and Middlesex counties.

Individuals interested in learning more about JA volunteer program should contact 860-525-4510 or visit www.jaconn.net for details.