HOUSTON, Dec. 6, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Junior Achievement (JA) of Southeast Texas announced that it has received a $5,000 grant from TDAmeritrade to provide economic empowerment programs to youth during the 2012-13 school year.

(Logo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20101006/JASETXLOGO)

JA of Southeast Texas will use the grant to bring its entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness programs to students who would not otherwise have the opportunity to experience these life-changing classes. Students will have the opportunity to participate in challenging, interactive exercises to help them develop personal strategies to achieve lifelong learning pursuits.

In addition to providing an educational experience for students, JA programs create volunteer opportunities for TDAmeritrade employees and other community members to share their personal life and career experiences with the students.

"We are grateful to TDAmeritrade," said Rick Franke, president, JA of Southeast Texas. "The programs provided will give deserving students the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success and plan for their futures."  

According to a JA retrospective study, eighty-four percent of JA alumni indicate their participation in JA helped them bridge the gap between what they learned in school and how it can be applied in the real world.

About Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas
Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas is the greater Houston area's largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network of 12,000 adult role models, JA of Southeast Texas provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12 which focus on entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. Today, JA of Southeast Texas reaches 245,000 students in nearly 900 schools.  For more information, visit www.jahouston.org.

Media Contact:
Kevin R. Hattery
Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas
713.682.4500, ext 231 or 713.628.1441 (cell)
khattery@jahouston.org

SOURCE Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas