Junior Achievement of Southwest Connecticut (JASWCT), established in 1975, educates and inspires young people to value free enterprise, business and economics in order to improve the quality of their lives. Junior Achievement’s purpose is to empower young people to own their economic success. JASWCT is able to fulfill its purpose through partnerships between the business and education communities. As a result, students (Kindergarten thru 12th grade) have the opportunity to meet business volunteers and benefit from their “real world” experience through our various programs. During the 2013-2014 program year, over 11,400 students will participate in the communities of Greenwich, Stamford, Darien, New Canaan, Norwalk, Westport and Weston. Through JA financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship programs, delivered by volunteers, students connect classroom learning with real life. This allows them to recognize the value of staying in school and may improve graduation rates. Additionally, the knowledge students acquire will enable them to manage their finances, develop in-demand job skills and understand entrepreneurship. Consequently, as adults, they will be more likely to buy homes responsibly, obtain good jobs, and start and run businesses effectively, which will create new jobs and stimulate economic growth. At Junior Achievement, we envision a prosperous future for our students and nation.