A NEW SPACE. BIGGER DREAMS.
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA CELEBRATES UNVEILING OF RENOVATED JA CAREER CENTER WITH U.S. BANK
The newly renovated interactive space at JA Finance Park gives Southern California students more opportunities to explore career pathways, discover their interests, and build confidence in their financial futures.
What does it take to turn a dream career into a reality? It starts with exploring possibilities, discovering your strengths, and understanding how today’s choices can shape tomorrow’s opportunities.
That’s exactly what students will have the opportunity to do in the newly renovated JA Career Center, made possible by U.S. Bank, officially unveiled November 9 at Junior Achievement of Southern California’s (JASoCal) JA Finance Park in Los Angeles.
The ribbon-cutting celebration brought together representatives from Junior Achievement and U.S. Bank, along with approximately 100 seniors from Palmdale Academy Charter School, who experienced the updated Career Center as part of their JA Finance Park simulation.
The renovated Career Center represents more than an updated learning environment. It’s another investment in helping young people discover what’s possible for their futures.
CELEBRATING PARTNERSHIP AND INSPIRING WHAT’S NEXT
The celebration featured remarks from leaders representing both organizations, highlighting the longstanding partnership and shared commitment to preparing students for future success.
JASoCal President & CEO Les McCabe welcomed the students and emphasized the importance of experiences that connect education with real-world opportunities. He was followed by Jill McCullough, Greater Los Angeles Community Affairs Manager at U.S. Bank, who reflected on the history of the partnership and the bank’s longstanding investment in Junior Achievement and the students it serves.
Malgy Blue, Consumer & Business Banking Market Leader at U.S. Bank, then energized students with an inspiring message about exploring their potential, pursuing career opportunities, and making the most of the experience ahead. His remarks set the tone as students prepared to step into JA Finance Park and put their financial knowledge and decision-making skills into action.
EXPLORING CAREER POSSIBILITIES, ONE STUDENT AT A TIME
Choosing a career is one of life’s biggest decisions, but knowing where to start isn’t always easy. The JA Career Center gives students an opportunity to take that first step.
While visiting the Career Center, students view a presentation about how to choose a career and succeed in the workplace. They also have access to the JA Career Inventory, a career exploration tool that helps them identify their interests and begin exploring potential career paths.
These experiences encourage students to reflect on their strengths, explore different professional opportunities, and connect their interests, education, and future goals.
By introducing career exploration alongside financial education, the Career Center helps students see the bigger picture: the relationship between the work they choose, the income they earn, and the financial decisions that shape their lives.
JA FINANCE PARK: WHERE FINANCIAL LITERACY COMES TO LIFE
The JA Career Center is part of the larger JA Finance Park experience, one of Junior Achievement’s signature hands-on financial literacy programs.
At JA Finance Park, students step into the role of adults, receiving a simulated life scenario that includes an assigned career, income, and family circumstances. They must then navigate the financial responsibilities of everyday life, developing and managing a personal budget while making decisions about housing, transportation, food, savings, and other expenses.
With guidance from business volunteers, students put financial concepts into practice, strengthening their critical thinking, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
It’s an opportunity to move beyond learning about money in a classroom and experience firsthand how financial choices, career paths, and life circumstances intersect.
Together, JA Finance Park and the JA Career Center help students build the knowledge and confidence to make informed decisions about their futures.
MORE THAN 25 YEARS OF PARTNERSHIP. MORE THAN $3.5 MILLION INVESTED IN STUDENTS.
The newly renovated JA Career Center also celebrates something equally meaningful: a partnership between U.S. Bank, the U.S. Bank Foundation, and Junior Achievement of Southern California that has spanned more than 25 years.
Since its first contribution to JASoCal in July 1999, U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation have provided more than $3.5 million in support of the organization’s mission to accelerate economic mobility through education. Their commitment extends beyond financial contributions, with hundreds of U.S. Bank employee volunteers also sharing their time, knowledge, and expertise with students.
Over the decades, U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation have supported numerous Junior Achievement programs and fundraising initiatives, helping expand access to financial literacy, career readiness, and experiential education opportunities throughout Southern California.
Most recently, U.S. Bank served as the Presenting Sponsor of JA Ignite, JASoCal’s October 2026 fundraising event celebrating the organization’s mission and vision for the future.
This enduring partnership demonstrates what is possible when businesses invest not only in education, but in the potential of the next generation.
As Jill McCullough, Greater Los Angeles Community Affairs Manager at U.S. Bank, shared:
“Financial knowledge can help young people make more confident decisions for their future. By supporting organizations like Junior Achievement, we’re helping individuals gain the tools they need to work toward financial stability.”
Jill McCullough, Greater Los Angeles Community Affairs Manager at U.S. Bank
“Financial knowledge can help young people make more confident decisions for their future. By supporting organizations like Junior Achievement, we’re helping individuals gain the tools they need to work toward financial stability.”
Kat Delgado Kirkwood, Chief Impact and Partnerships Officer at Junior Achievement of Southern California, also emphasized the importance of the relationship:
“Relationships like the one we share with U.S. Bank and the U.S. Bank Foundation are essential to bringing our mission to life. Their long-time support helps us offer financial education and meaningful experiences to students so they can expand their views of what’s possible in their careers and futures.”
INVESTING IN WHAT’S POSSIBLE
Every year, Junior Achievement of Southern California reaches more than 50,000 students across Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, and Kern counties through hands-on, career-connected learning experiences designed to prepare young people for academic and economic success.
As financial literacy becomes an increasingly important part of preparing California students for life after high school, partnerships like the one with U.S. Bank help ensure students have access to meaningful experiences that connect education to the real world.
The JA Career Center, made possible by U.S. Bank, will continue to inspire students to explore their interests, discover career possibilities, and understand the financial decisions that can help turn their aspirations into reality.
