Junior Merger Takes Economic Education Global (NAPSA)—The merger of two nonprofit organizations has created the world’s largest nonprofit economic education organization. Since its founding in 1919, the education programs offered by Junior Achievement (JA) have provided young people with the economic information, tools and inspiration to gain a sense of control over their futures. These programs have also reaffirmed the ability of the free enterprise system to provide a good qualityoflife. In 1994 another organization, JA International, was created. As the name implied, its mission was to provide economic education to young people overseas while the parent organization concentrated on delivering services in the U.S. These two organization have merged to create a single entity named JA Worldwide. With 145 JA offices in the United States and nearly 100 JA offices around the world, the merger creates the world's largest economic and business educational organization of its kind. According to David S. Chernow, CEO and president of the newly formed JA Worldwide, “From Minneapolis to Moscow, we need to educate our young people about business and the economicsoflife.” JA Worldwide headquarters will be based in Colorado Springs, with an additional office to support international operations in Atlanta. The combined operations will allow the organization to better deliver consistent economics education worldwide. ZA Junior Achievement’s recent merger with its international divi- sion created a worldwide organization ideally positioned to deliver economic education to students in nearly 100 countries. The findings of one of the new organization’s first projects, the JA Worldwide Poll on Global Business, show that 30 percent of teens polled believe that unemployment is the numberone threat to their nation’s economy. When asked to name the two most important ingredients for the success of their nation’s economy, “investmentto create jobs” (21 percent) and a “properly trained workforce” (18 percent) were the teens top two responses. Nearly 1,800 students from China to Europe to North America to Africa participated in thepoll. Junior Achievement programs reach four million students in the U.S. and another two million students in 100 countries. For more information, visit www.ja.org or write JA Worldwide Headquarters, One Education Way, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. You can also contact the nearest JA office.
