May 9, 2016 (Philadelphia) ‐ First Financial Group, a general agency of Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual), will be partnering with Junior Achievement (JA) of Southeastern Pennsylvania on May 9, 2016, to participate in “JA in a Day,” a unique delivery method of Junior Achievement programming that facilitates the partnership between a single business and an elementary school.
One hundred volunteers from the agency will spend the day teaching a crash course in JA to approximately 1,500 students in six different Philadelphia schools: Warren G. Harding Middle School, Middle Years Alternative School for the Humanities, Feltonville School of Arts and Sciences, Theodore Roosevelt Middle School, Morris E. Leeds Middle School and Julia D. Burgos Elementary.
The 1,500 students originally participated in MassMutual’s FutureSmart Challenge back in Dec. where they learned about smart money management from actor and author Hill Harper and the Philadelphia 76ers. The Challenge is a cross‐country tour that provides financial education to middle school students at select NBA arenas and is then followed by Junior Achievement curriculum at participants’ schools.
JA’s elementary level programs consist of five lessons. Traditionally, volunteers conduct a lesson a week for five weeks. However, with “JA in a Day,” volunteers enter a classroom and conduct all five lessons in a single day. At the end of the school day, the students will have completed the JA program appropriate for their grade level and will have earned a certificate of completion.
The volunteers of First Financial Group will provide workshops to seventh and eighth grade students. The workshops will focus on preparing for the working world while still in middle school and understanding information about personal finance, as well as the importance of identifying education and career goals based on a student's skills, interests and values.
“Everyone at First Financial Group is thrilled to be able to inspire youth about the connection between education and success in the workplace,” said Harris S. Fishman, CLU, ChFC, President and CEO of First Financial Group. “There’s no place I’d rather be on my birthday than ‘JA in a Day.’ We’re looking forward to working with Junior Achievement of Southeastern Pennsylvania to help students gain valuable financial lessons.”
Fishman, well‐known for his devotion to the community and ability to cultivate a positive company culture, has been recognized by the Philadelphia Business Journal as a Most Admired CEO. First Financial Group, which is committed to its corporate social responsibility, has been named a "Top Workplace" six times in the past seven years by Philly.com and one of the Best Places to Work in the Greater Philadelphia area in 2015 by the Philadelphia Business Journal.
First Financial Group is home to expert financial coaches that provide thoughtful, thorough strategies and products that help their clients work towards goals in order to live their best lives. First Financial Group believes financial planning and management is becoming increasingly complex, and playing the game to win requires a team of people who love it and live it every day. As a major player in the MassMutual Financial Group network, First Financial Group has maintained a track record of accomplishments and success for 130 years.