Recognizing our people in the community: Jessica Vargas
By Amanda Watson, Marketing Director & Jessica Vargas, Project Architect (Portage, IN)
Junior Achievement and Holladay Properties are teaming up to bring financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship to local K-12 students.
Junior Achievement, a not for profit educational organization, is a partnership between the business community, educators and volunteers – all working together to inspire young people to dream big, prepare them for the workforce and help them see their boundless potential through hands-on, experiential programs.
Portage office, Project Architect, Jessica Vargas, is serving her third year on the Northwest Indiana Junior Achievement of Chicago board. She is also serving her second year as the Chairperson for the annual Bowl-A-Thon fundraising event. She believes the information JA brings to the classroom is a critical education component kids need to become financially empowered and responsible adults. And the facts are backing her theory up! The JA NWI division is continually receiving requests from local school districts to bring their programs and volunteers into the classrooms. Last year alone, JA’s NWI Division reached more than 53,800 kids in 2,290 classes within 83 schools throughout our partnering Lake and Porter County school districts!
Inspiring tomorrow’s workforce comes with a price tag though, roughly $500 per class. That is why Jessica is so passionate about raising funds to support these programs. The Bowl-A-Thon is a great way for local businesses to learn more about JA’s mission and help support a great cause, all while having fun and networking. This year, the Bowl-A-Thon is on Thursday, October 25 at the Merrillville Stardust Bowl from 6 -9 PM. This is the second year that the Bowl-A-Thon will be Halloween themed, complete with a Team Costume Contest and a fa-BOO-lous raffle!
Team spots are still available for companies, families, and friends wishing to register. If you aren’t able to be there, Lane Sponsorships and Team Sponsorships are also available. And we also accept raffle item donations. These are all great ways to market your company and be seen at a great event! Contact Jessica Vargas for more information.
JA is always looking for classroom volunteers as well. It’s a great team event for companies looking to give back to the community and stay connected with local K-12 students. For more information on volunteering for upcoming classroom programs, contact Roz Malouhos at rmalouhos@jachicago.org or call (219) 263-9843.
Junior Achievement: Empowering young people to own their economic success„¢