Achievement’ Matching Teens With Success (NAPSA)—Sometimes it’s easier to reach the top of a profession when you have someoneto look up to—and many of today’s teens havejust that. A recent poll of U.S. teens reveals that nearly two-thirds have a role model—someone they look up to or want to be like. Forty-two percent of teens said the most important attribute in a role modelis that the person “tries to positively impact society through his or her businesspractices.” Finding Mentors The poll was sponsored by JA Worldwide ( Achievement), a nonprofit that works to build job and life skills in teens, to help prepare them for the 21st century job market. The organization’s Job Shadow program matches hundreds of businesspeople with middle- and high-school students for a day at the office. Kids get an upclose look at the world of work and a personal lesson in the ways of the workplace. The program’s national sponsor, Best Buy Children’s Foundation, provides program support and funding for Job Shadow events in Best Buy stores. Closing The Gap According to employers, a majority of today’s teens are ill equipped to succeed at work because they lack necessary social and workplace skills. Sean C. Rush, president and chief executive officer of JA Worldwide, says Achievement plays an important role in closing that talent gap. “We partner with businesses and educators to create programs Nearly two-thirds of teens say they have a mentoror role model. that help kids learn work-readiness skills that are necessary for the 21st century workplace,” he says. Making A Difference Another high school program, JA Success Skills, teaches 21st century skills such as decision making, conflict resolution and problem solving. JA develops the curriculum and provides volunteers from the community to teach its programs and serve as classroom role models. Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating young people about work readiness, entrepreneurship andfinancial literacy. It offers programs to help students in grades K-12 understand the business of life and prepare them for the world of work. Sponsoring both JA initiatives is the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Departmentof Justice. For more information, visit www.ja.org.
