Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts President Jeffrey Pelletier (third from right) with BayCoast Bank volunteers (left to right) Diane Medeiros, Wayne Swenson, Tracie Corcoran, Paul Mello, Jay Moniz, Suzanne Martins and Jasmine Pereira.
BayCoast Bank has long been a sponsor of programs facilitated by Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts, most recently with a $10,000 donation to support three of the non-profit organization’s popular programs.
“We are once again grateful and thrilled for BayCoast Bank’s continued and generous support,” said Jeffrey Pelletier, President of Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts, noting the Bank’s long history of providing financial sponsorship for JA’s programs.
BayCoast Bank is the Presenting Sponsor of Junior Achievement’s Job Shadow Program, which provides regional students with the opportunity to visit local businesses to observe a professional environment, learn about available careers, discover which skills are necessary to succeed in a particular industry and speak with employees about their jobs. JA’s Job Shadow Program also helps students understand the importance of educational attainment in achieving their goals.
BayCoast Bank is the Financial Literacy Sponsor for the JA Titan Business Challenge, an annual event where over 200 high school students spend the day at UMass – Dartmouth learning from members of the business community and competing in teams of three using an interactive online business simulation.
The Bank also serves as the Financial Literacy Track Sponsor for the JA SPARK Program, a free two-year program for middle school girls that offers a unique blend of career readiness, financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and leadership development. The innovative program provides opportunities for participants to learn from role models in their community and participate in activities to develop business and leadership skills. Selected participants from across the region are chosen to spend one week of their summer living on the Massachusetts Maritime Academy campus, participate in workshops throughout the academic year and spend one week of the following summer living on the Bridgewater State university campus and participate in workshops during the ensuing school year.
“In addition to financial backing, BayCoast Bank employees have consistently volunteered with JA in support of local students for years,” said Pelletier, adding that Wayne Swenson, Vice President of Consumer Lending at the Bank is a long-time member of the JA of Southern Massachusetts Board of Directors “as well as an active volunteer, teaching numerous JA courses to local students each school year.”
Nicholas Christ, President and CEO of BayCoast Bank, said, “Our partnership with Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts holds a special place in the hearts of many of our staff whose active volunteerism with this outstanding organization is long held. JA programs help to ready our next generation of business leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed; it is a joy to know that our contributions result in bright futures.”
About BayCoast Bank
BayCoast Bank is mutually-owned, serving the needs of consumers, businesses, non-profits and municipalities through 20 branches and three loan offices throughout southeastern MA and RI. Additional services are offered through the Bank’s affiliates: BayCoast Financial Services, Plimoth Investment Advisors, Partners Insurance Group, LLC, BayCoast Mortgage Company, LLC, and Priority Funding LLC. Nicholas Christ is the Bank’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Visit www.BayCoastBank.com or call 508-678-7641 or 888-806-2872.
About Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts
Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts is a nonprofit organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA provides in-school and out-of-school programs to students’ kindergarten through twelfth grade, which focus on three key content areas: financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. This year JA will impact nearly 7,000 students across 21 cities and towns throughout Bristol and Southern Plymouth Counties. For more information, please contact Jeffrey Pelletier, President, Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts, at jeffrey.pelletier@ja.org or call the JA office at 508-997-6536.
