A newly renovated collaborative space benefiting the Junior Achievement of Washington’s “JA World” learning facility in Auburn, Washington, officially opened to the community following a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Sept. 30, 2019. The PEMCO Achievement Zone, which was commissioned and constructed by PEMCO Mutual Insurance, celebrates the organizations’ shared goals to inspire and ignite innovation, entrepreneurship and financial literacy in young people and prepare them for future success.
Junior Achievement’s JA World in Auburn is one of two interactive learning facilities in Washington that immerse students in American enterprise, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship. The facilities provide a dynamic, experiential learning system complemented by classroom curriculum to prepare and inspire students for the future.
The new PEMCO Achievement Zone is a 2,400 square-foot gathering space designed to provide visitors, including K-12 students, educators, community members and local businesses, a collaborative meeting space that fosters creative thinking and innovation. There, students can learn the principles of responsible financial management, market-based economics, and work readiness.
“Throughout our decades-long partnership, we’ve been passionate supporters of Junior Achievement of Washington’s mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed,” said PEMCO CEO Stan McNaughton. “Our hope for The PEMCO Achievement Zone, which serves as another example of PEMCO’s commitment to helping our communities thrive, is to provide a unified space that will embolden all who enter to dream big.”
As part of the design, which was donated by PEMCO’s creative partner, Periscope, the new space incorporates original art from more than 20 students, ranging from fourth to 12th grade, who were invited to create large pieces that reflect the Northwest, their communities and their futures. The art installations will be featured in rotation and will continue to expand to include additional students’ creative perspectives.
For more than 40 years, JA of Washington and PEMCO have partnered to enhance the well-being of local youth and help them develop the tools necessary to build rewarding, self-sufficient futures.
“PEMCO’s support over the years has sustained our Junior Achievement Programs in our JA Auburn Capstone facility and in schools throughout Washington State and Northern Idaho,” said Natalie Vega O’Neil, president, and CEO of Junior Achievement of Washington. “Their enduring partnership has had a profound impact on program funding, enabling financial education and work readiness skills for students in the Pacific Northwest.”
For more insight into PEMCO’s mission to raise achievement levels for youth in education and help local communities thrive, visit www.pemco.com/mutual-good.
Auburn Junior Achievement Center
About Junior Achievement of Washington (JA) For 65 years JA of Washington has been a part of Washington communities – working with schools and businesses – to build strong, viable partnerships that serve young people. Guided by the basic beliefs of integrity, respect and excellence, JA’s purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. JA fulfills its purpose via educational programs that focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work readiness. Driven by the passionate power of its volunteer citizens, JA programs are taught by community and business mentors – individuals committed to the success and healthy development of young people. Long established as a key component of its successful program dynamic, JA recognizes the positive impact of mentorship and its power to build pathways to sustainable, productive futures for young people. For more information visit www.jawashington.org.
About PEMCO Insurance
PEMCO Insurance is the Defender of Your Northwest, providing auto, home, renters and boat coverage. We are consistently recognized for outstanding service, employee expertise, and social impact. Our Mutual Good programs raise the achievement levels for youth in education; build stronger, greener environments; and increase safety at home, on the road, and at play. Our mission: Free our communities to worry less and live more. To learn more, visit www.pemco.com.
The above is a press release. Its contents have not been independently verified by the Auburn Examiner.
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