Junior Achievement Partners with City of Salisbury Summer Youth Program

Salisbury, MD -- Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore has wrapped up their fourth year of partnering with the City of Salisbury and the Greater Salisbury Committee for the City of Salisbury's Summer Youth Employment Program. Over the summer, 12 local highschool students, ages 16 through 18, assisted the City of Salisbury with upkeep and maintenance of Doverdale and Lake Street Parks, both located in Salisbury. At the conclusion of the program, students were presented with paychecks, letters of recommendation, and financial resources provided by JAES.

"This was our fourth year partnering with the City of Salisbury for this amazing program," said JAES Vice President, Kate Bleile. "It is always so rewarding to see the students who have returned from the previous year, and the excitement of the students who are new to the program. We look forward to this every summer."

With the COVID-19 regulations, JAES and the City of Salisbury had to make some adjustments to their planning this year. "With the help of our partners at Bank of America, we were able to provide live Zoom workshops with the students," said Mary Holden, JAES Program Coordinator. Program participants learned vital life skills like writing checks, money management, and the importance of emergency savings. "Two out of three households in America do not possess enough cash savings to sustain themselves for three months if their income was disrupted," said JAES President, Jayme Hayes. "This information is vital for our students to learn as early as possible. Especially since students are entering the workforce and making critical financial decisions for their families at such young ages."

"Junior Achievement has the unique ability to reach populations that may otherwise may not be reached," said Kevin Lindsay, City of Salisbury's Neighborhood Relations Manager. "JAES is ahead of the game when it comes to the youth and helping them understand the importance of money and credit. They are building relationships, one child at a time."

Junior Achievement is looking forward to the upcoming school year and continuing to reach students on the Shore. "We exist to create a world where every child's story ends with success," said Hayes. "And we won't stay until that happens." To learn more about Junior Achievement and how you can get involved, visit easternshoreja.org.

About Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore

Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating youth, grades K-12 both public and private, on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Our hands-on, age-appropriate programs inspire youth to live within their means, prepare for the world of work and understand the free enterprise system. Our programs are brought to life by local business members from the community. We are an enhancement to what kids learn in school and a direct link to real-life applications, making school relevant and increasing students' engagement in the classroom.