MasterCard compacts 6-8 weeks of financial literacy education into one day

Typical Junior Achievement (JA) programs take anywhere from six to eight weeks for a participant to complete, but thanks to MasterCard’s JA in a Day program, K-8 students in the St. Louis area can get the benefit of five financial literacy lessons in just one day. 

Volunteers for the most recent program were recruited with the aid of MasterCard’s internal ambassador team. Those who raised their hands underwent training in order to devote time to preparing lessons and spending a day out of the office for the actual session. MasterCard’s involvement also features the online registration portal. 

As a result of the program, students were able to develop a better understanding of the American economic system and the worlds of work and business. The volunteers, meanwhile, upped their communication and presentation skills while getting directly involved with their employer’s efforts to give back to the community in which they live and work. 

As for MasterCard, the company strengthened its ties with the community. From its origins a decade ago with 100 volunteers, the program has grown to include some 400 volunteers teaching more than 4,700 children in more than 200 classes, the single largest volunteer teaching event in JA St. Louis’s history. 

We are pleased to recognize the following members of the MasterCard team for their role in making the program a reality by awarding them the prize for Best Fundraising/Philanthropic Initiative in PR Daily’s 2014 Corporate Social Responsibility Awards: Christy Corrington, Debbie Hagan, Jennifer Hermeyer, Cheryl Heuay, Sharon Hilmes, Petra Rodgers, Natalie Shatzman, Lisa Yates, Andrew Zugmaier, and Amanda Gioia.