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By Nikki Cabus

Delta Air Lines and LATAM join forces for inaugural job shadowing project empowering youth for success

Read Time 5 Minutes

Delta Air Lines and LATAM Airlines Group united to extend thier inaugural Job Shadow Day at Miami International Airport.

Twenty-five students from the New World School of the Arts located in downtown Miami were given the opportunity to walk through a “day in the life” through a transformative experience including simulated real-world exercises where volunteers introduced them to career opportunities in aviation.

Through the Joint Venture between Delta and LATAM group, the global airlines seamlessly collaborate both in the skies and on the ground, inspiring the next generation of talented individuals who will shape the future. Delta and LATAM reinforce a shared vision for a brighter and more interconnected future, where the collective efforts of these influential airlines contribute to positive and lasting impacts on a global scale.

Since implementing their transformative partnership in 2022, the award-winning airlines have made travel between North and South America easier and more enjoyable than ever by expanding their route networks, optimizing their flight schedules and airport operations, and offering travelers improved access to 300 destinations on the two continents. This is why Delta and LATAM – like travelers, their loved ones, friends and destinations – complement each other and are “Meant to be Together,” as their new campaign suggests.

“Delta strives to make an impact by building intentional, purposeful partnerships in our communities that help address the hopes and needs of real people and spark meaningful change in the world,” said Luciano Macagno, Delta Managing Director for Latin American, the Caribbean and South Florida.

Educational endeavors such as the Job Shadopw Day play a crucial role in empowering young minds to visualize and pursue fulfilling career trajectories. This initiative not only granted the students invaluable firsthand experience but also provided them with the chance to glean insights from seasoned aviation professionals at Delta and LATAM. The event offered a distinctive behind-the-scenes glimpse into the intricate workings and operations of Miami International Airport, fostering a deepened understanding and connection to the dynamic world of the aviation industry.

Miami International Airport is America’s busiest airport for international freight and the second busiest for international passengers. MIA offers more flights to Latin America and the Caribbean than any other U.S. airport and is also the leading economic engine for Miami-Dade County and the state of Florida with an expansive workforce community of more than 37,000 employees. The airport generates business revenue of $31.9 billion and approximately 60 percent of all international visitors to Florida annually.

“At LATAM Airlines Group we thank our partner Delta for the invitation to participate in this Job Shadow experience,” said Gonzalo Ramírez, North America & Caribbean Airports Senior Manager LATAM Group.

“We are constantly looking to connect with the communities where we operate, so we are excited to connect with young people who will be the future professionals of the industry. At the same time, as the leading airline group in South America, we want them to know that the prospects for development in the sector are international, which adds to the attractiveness of pursuing a career in this field.”

Delta Air Lines and LATAM Airlines Group partnered with Junior Achievemt of Greater Miami on this initiaitive. Each day, JA MIami works to help young people discover what’s possible in their lives. The nonprofit does this by helping them connect what they learn in school with life outside the classroom. JA Miami strives to let students know it’s possible to invest in their future, to gain a better understanding of how the world works, and to pursue their dreams.

JA Miami is dedicated to giving young people in Miami-Dade and Monroe counties the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers and educators, and offer relevant, hands-on experiences that provide 40,000 students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship.

“We are thrilled to partner with Delta and LATAM to provide students with this unique JA Job Shadow experience,” said Mariana Furchi Sly, Executive Vice President, Junior Achievement of Greater Miami. “Many of these students have never been to the airport and aren’t aware that so many job opportunities exist. This program helps show them possibilities for their futures.”

In addition to supporting the JA Job Shadow program, Delta sponsored 80 high school students’ participation in the JA Stock Market Challenge in October 2023, and facilitated travel for a team of high school students from Coral Gables Senior High to attend a national competition last summer in Washington, D.C. As part of Delta’s work to fuel a diverse aviation talent pipeline and build an organization that is reflective of the communities where we live, work and serve, Delta prioritizes partnerships that enable young aviators and students to envision their own future in the industry.

“It was truly inspiring to witness the curiosity and enthusiasm of the students as they delved into the details of the aviation industry and explored the diverse array of roles within our organizations. From witnessing ground operations in action to gaining insights into the complexities of flying, the students embarked on a fascinating journey of discovery,” shared Ignacio Borbollo, Delta Head of Sales, Market Development & Community Partnerships – Regional Manager, South Florida

“As a proud member of the JA Young Professional board, I was thrilled to play a part in providing these young minds with a firsthand glimpse into the dynamic world of travel and aviation. It’s moments like these that ignite passion and spark ambition in the next generation of leaders.”

In addition to this project, Delta has connected with students around the world through its many partnerships and programs – such as Delta Business Class, Delta’s Propel Academy, Delta’s WING Flight, HBCU engagement, the Aviation Maintenance Airframe Certificate Program and more.

To learn more about Delta’s Student & Earl Careers Programs, visit www.delta.com/us/en/careers/students-and-early-careers

By Nikki Cabus

JA Inspire 2024 inspires middle school students in Palm Beach County

Read Time 4 Minutes

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast holds their annual JA Inspire visiting three different middle schools this year in Palm Beach County. 

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast has served 810,727 K-12 students since 1981 throughout Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Hendry counties. The mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy through classroom programs and simulations that focus on financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship.

JA Inspire is more than a career fair. In collaboration with the Palm Beach County School District, the event brings together the business community and local schools and is designed to help launch middle school students into their futures: high school, college and beyond. During the JA Inspire expo which is held in-person within multiple middle schools, students participate in hands-on activities, often experiencing equipemt or tools used on the job. The experience is configurable to align with local industry and career opportunities based on the four competencies: creativity, collaboration, commuication, and critical thinking.

This year’s JA Inspire Palm Beach County ‘s 2024 events were held at the following middle schools:

Local companies have the chance to showcase their industry passion, career opportunities, engage with students through hands-on activities, and make a lasting impression on the future workforce of Palm Beach County. On the other hand, students get to connect with professionals from some of the region’s most prominent employers, explore career pathways and learn about the skills needed for in-demand jobs, explore their own interests with a variety of career opportunities, and strengthen their coursework pathway for high school and beyond.

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast had a goal of impacting 8,600 students in the 2022 – 2023 school year. With support from organizations such as the Glenn W. Bailey Foundation and Wells Fargo, they were able to serve over 146,000 students overall! Over 98,600 students alone were reached through just three programs: JA Inspire, JA Career Speaker Series, and JA High School programs.

“I’m so happy for Junior Achievement [of the Palm Beach & Treasure Coast]. They always have the forsight to make sure they are in the schools making sure students knew all of the things they have needed to know as related to careers, academics, and relationships,” said Marcia Andrews, Palm Beach County School District Board Member.

She added, “When you begin to learn you need to kind of connect the careers with all the things you are learning in math, science, and technology.”

From the marine industry to healthcare and technology, multiple industries were represented. Volunteers gave their time to showcase the career opportunities, advancements in their fields, and the impact you could make in your local communities. One of those volunteers was John Riley III, Co-Founder of AVA Intelligence, South Florida Tech Hub member, Levan Center Cyber Range sales director, and loyal JA volunteer.

“I would like to give a big thank you to Lauren Henderson of Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast for the invitation to participate in another remarkable event for their JA Inspire program,” wrote John in a social media post. “Interacting with the students and addressing their technology questions was a truly rewarding experience.”

Dr. Eugina Smith Feaman, Principal at Emerald Cove Middle School in Wellington, shared “This is a preview for their future. This is an opportunity for them to dip their toe into different careers and different opportunities that they have for their future.

If you are interested in taking part in JA Inspire or future Junior Achievement volunteer opportunities, please visit www.palmbeachtreasurecoast.ja.org for more info on events, donation and speaking opportunities.

 

By Nikki Cabus

JA raises over $120k for student programs in Palm Beach & Treasure Coast regions

Read Time 3 Minutes

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast held their 10th Annual JA Caribbean Wind raising over $120k for student programs. 

The fundraiser, in partnership with the Esther B. O’Keeffe Charitable Trust, took place the evening of October 14th outside at Safe Harbor Rybovich in West Palm Beach. Guest enjoyed Caribbean cuisine, cocktails, hand-rolled cigars, live reggae music by Clement Aubrey and One Tribe surrounded by yachts up to 100 meters in length.

With 200 people in attendance from nonprofit leaders to local executives and featuring over $28k in incredible silent auctions to bid on, the fundraiser raised over $120k in support of student programming across Palm Beach County and into the Treasure Coast.

The evening was co-chaired by Deana Pizzo of I.T. Solutions of South Florida and David Markarian of The Markarian Group. Committee members included Rikki and Stu Bagatell; Shannon and Brad Ball; Kathy and Jon Burstein; Allison and Trey Fogg; Alyssa Freeman; Teresa Heine; Dena and Dennis Kennedy; LeeAnne and Joe LaBanz; Al Loureiro; Sonali and Neeraj Mendiratta; Melissa Nash; Sophia A. Nelson; and Josh Vandagriff.

Claudia Kirk Barto, JA Palm Beach & Treasure Coast CEO, told Tech Hub, “We couldn’t have done it without our awesome committee chaired by Deana Pizzo and Dave Markarian!”

Junior Achievement (JA) programs span grades K-12, with age-appropriate curricula designed to teach elementary students about their roles as individuals, workers, and consumers and to prepare middle grade and high school students for key economic and workforce issues they will face.

Too many children don’t have access to education crucial for their future success such as personal financial responsibility, budgeting, critical thinking, and career readiness. JA exists so that all kids, regardless of background, receive the tools they need to build a future for themselves in which they are optimistic, economically self-sufficient, and determined, with a belief in the power of free enterprise.

JA offers a multidisciplinary approach that connects learning across social studies disciplines, such as economics, geography, history, government, civics, while incorporating mathematical concepts and reasoning/language arts skills. JA believes that creating foundations that build upon each other over time is the key to having graduates go on feeling really prepared for handling financial matters as adults.

Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast will inspire and prepare their ONE MILLIONTH student this coming school year through financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and workforce readiness programs.

Educational materials are used in all grade levels and are available for free to all public schools, due to the community’s support. Since the pandemic, impact has surged from 20-30,000 students per year to over 146,000 students served this past year throughout Palm Beach, Martin, St. Lucie, Indian River, and Hendry counties. Funds are needed to cover the cost of program curriculum and materials.

Check out the full photo album here. Donations to help support our students can also be made here: https://tinyurl.com/JADonation

 

By Nikki Cabus

Junior Achievement’s Rosé Soirée event raised $110k to support students

Read Time 3 Minutes

This month the 5th annual JA Circle of Wise Women Rosé Soirée raised $110,000 for Junior Achievement of South Florida (JA) programs.

With 225 women in attendance, the event was held at the former Neiman Marcus in The Galleria in Fort Lauderdale. The evening was an experience for all, beginning with a rose petal, red carpet entrance to shopping, networking, appetizers by Silver Lining and sips of rosé, provided by SipChanné, Bloomers Frozen Drinks and Breakthru Beverage Florida.

The evening continued with JA students sharing their inspirational journeys, awarding of the Lorraine I. Thomas Girls Scholarships and the pinning of 18 new Circle of Wise Women members. The event also honored the 2022 Woman of Wisdom (WOW), Sharon Gustafson-Florescue, Florescue Family Foundation who spoke about her personal and professional journey. Sharon is fabulous, generous, funny and beautiful inside and out.

The event’s title sponsor for yet another year was CITY Furniture who’s CEO, Andrew Koenig, is the current JA South Florida Chairman of the Board. “CITY Furniture is proud to be the title sponsor of the JA’s Rose Soirée, in the commitment to provide young women with the right education, skills, and opportunities to create vibrant and sustainable communities,” wrote Koenig in a recent social media post.

JA’s Circle of Wise Women is a vibrant group of women who are passionate about and dedicated to Junior Achievement’s mission of empowering youth with the knowledge, ability and confidence to navigate their futures, drive our economy, and lead our community.

They believe that Junior Achievement programs are a springboard to show today’s youth their potential for success. Since its inception, the group has raised more than $4.5 million for Junior Achievement of South Florida.

The group’s signature event is the annual JA World Uncorked – a culinary showcase where guests sample gourmet bites prepared by leading South Florida chefs and sip premier wines, spirits, craft beers and cocktails from local vendors. In addition, the Circle of Wise Women host social gatherings throughout the year and participate in JA-related events, such as the Rosé Soirée.

In addition to the hard-working JA team, special thanks goes out to the leading ‘Ladies In Pink’ event co-chairs, Yvette Birdsong, Melissa Milroy and Jennifer Starkey, Rosé sponsors, CWW members and guests for your generous contributions.

“As a mother and female leader, I feel a responsibility to motivate and inspire the next generation of girls. I am proud to lead an organization that shares this value,” said Laurie Sallarulo, CEO of JA South Florida. “While the Circle of Wise Women was formed to support students across all JA programs, I am thrilled the members have embraced the focus on girls. Thank you to all of the amazing women who have joined our dynamic group.”

Thanks to these women, JA will continue to provide tens of thousands of students with impactful programs preparing them for the future and support the goals and dreams of young female JA alumni!

If you are interested in learning more about Junior Achievement South Florida or how you can donate, visit https://www.jasouthflorida.org/donate/

By Nikki Cabus

Junior Achievement, Palm Beach Tech, and HotelPlanner.com Partner

Read Time 2 Minutes

Junior Achievement, Palm Beach Tech, and HotelPlanner.com Partner

Groups to provide JA Job Shadow Program and Internships to Students

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Bob Cawood | 561.242.9468 | bcawood@juniorachievement.com

West Palm Beach, Fla.Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast (JAPBTC) has formally partnered with HotelPlanner.com and the Palm Beach Tech Association to expand their JA Job Shadow program.

JA Job Shadow encourages entrepreneurs and business owners to commit their time, share stories of their entrepreneurial journey, and open the eyes of high school students to future opportunities. This gives local students opportunities to experience office life, participate in internships, as well as advice and next steps for students to make the most beneficial choices for their future.

In 2018, the JA Job Shadow program was hosted by West Palm Beach based HotelPlanner.com and the Palm Beach Tech Association, and resulted in students receiving employment and internships.

Palm Beach Tech hosted the program at their downtown co-working space, educating high school students on the principles of technology entrepreneurship, and helping them develop startup ideas of their own. Palm Beach Tech has since hired two of those students as summer interns.

HotelPlanner.com decided not only to offer the program again to the students, but to also sponsor it. The HotelPlanner.com staff will spend time mentoring the students, educating in soft skills, and introducing them to new possibilities and exciting opportunities in the field. They also plan to offer internships to the students who are interested and qualify.

“Junior Achievement is asking all local businesses, big or small, to open their doors and allow local students to see the endless possible career paths our County has to offer,” said Bob Cawood, JAPBTC’s Business Development Manager. “Our vision is to help build a better Palm Beach County by keeping our students local after they graduate.”

Those interested in offering or sponsoring the JA Job Shadow program to local students can visit www.juniorachievement.com or contact (561) 242-9468.

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About Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast (JA): Junior Achievement of the Palm Beaches & Treasure Coast (JA) is a nonprofit organization that focuses on preparing young people to succeed in a global economy through programs that center on work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.

About Palm Beach Tech:  The Palm Beach Tech Association is a non-profit 501(c)6 membership association building the Palm Beaches into a Tech Hub.

About HotelPlanner.com: HotelPlanner.com is the leading provider of online services in the global group hotel marketplace, and an established resource for group event planners and hotel partners alike.

Delta Air Lines and LATAM join forces for inaugural job shadowing project empowering youth for success
JA Inspire 2024 inspires middle school students in Palm Beach County
JA raises over $120k for student programs in Palm Beach & Treasure Coast regions
Junior Achievement’s Rosé Soirée event raised $110k to support students
Junior Achievement, Palm Beach Tech, and HotelPlanner.com Partner