COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., July 28, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Junior Achievement USA® (JA) unveiled an online experience today that is a one-stop shop for teens and their parents in helping them make decisions that will affect their futures. The new interactive web experience, called JA My Way, is made possible by a grant from the Citi Foundation and OneMain Financial.
"Now, more than ever, teens need ideas, guidance and direction when it comes to determining their futures. JA My Way is designed with today's teens in mind, using the latest web design and gamification to help them explore their futures and find 'their way' in life," said Jack E. Kosakowski, president and CEO of Junior Achievement USA. "Junior Achievement is grateful to the Citi Foundation and OneMain Financial for their generous support of this resource."
JA My Way is an online destination for teens to learn about careers, starting a business and managing money. The experience combines games, rewards, information and social media to help teens explore these topics in a fun and exciting way. The target demographic are teens between the ages of 13-17. The experience is interactive, highly visual, and includes relevant information for teenagers, such as the costs that go along with owning a car, how much money needs to be saved for college, and what is on a W-2 tax form.
The free online experience is mobile responsive and draws teens in by having them take a short visual quiz personality test. After they see which of 10 pre-determined personalities they are most aligned with, JA My Way guides them down a track geared toward their interests. Depending on the responses to these questions, the user will go through a pathway to explore potential careers, working with money and starting a business.
Teens can customize the site by creating login information. They can create and save resumes and save jobs that they would be interested in working at some day. Through a rewards system, teens have the opportunity to gain badges that can eventually be redeemed for real-life rewards.
About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is the world's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches more than 4.5 million students per year in 114 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.8 million students served by operations in 120 other countries worldwide. Junior Achievement USA is a member of JA Worldwide. Visit www.ja.org for more information.
About Citi Foundation
The Citi Foundation works to promote economic progress and improve the lives of people in low-income communities around the world. We invest in efforts that increase financial inclusion, catalyze job opportunities for youth, and reimagine approaches to building economically vibrant cities. The Citi Foundation's "More than Philanthropy" approach leverages the enormous expertise of Citi and its people to fulfill our mission and drive thought leadership and innovation. For more information, visit www.citifoundation.com.
About OneMain Financial
OneMain Financial is based in Baltimore and provides personal loans and one-on-one, local service from more than 1,100 branches nationwide. Since 1912, OneMain Financial has worked with customers to find the loan solutions that best fit their needs and budget. The company and its employees are proud to support the communities where they live and work. Additional information may be found at OneMainFinancial.com.