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Houston Junior Achievement Student Receives National Scholarship |
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NEWS RELEASE For Immediate Release: HOUSTON JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT STUDENT
RECEIVES Houston, TX – Junior Achievement announced today that Brittany Wang, an 18-year-old student from Langham Creek High School in Houston, Texas, has been awarded the Hugh B. Sweeny Achievement Award by the Achievement Foundation, Inc. The Sweeny scholarship - $5,000 towards tuition costs at any accredited college or university - is awarded annually to a graduating high school senior who has completed JA Company Program™ or JA Economics™, which are two of Junior Achievement's entrepreneurship, work readiness, and financial literacy programs. JA Company Program provides high school students with basic economic education and knowledge of business structure and skills through organizing and operating an actual business enterprise. JA Economics reinforces the concepts of micro- and macro- economics by having students explore the basic characteristics of the U.S. economic system, the economic principles that influence business decisions, and career opportunities. The scholarship recipient must demonstrate academic achievement, leadership skills and financial need, and show how he or she has impacted a community through entrepreneurship.
Brittany also has demonstrated a strong commitment to community volunteerism. She was an active member of the Interact Club, an organization that promotes diversity and acceptance. She volunteers at Texas Children's Hospital and tutors K-12 reading at the Copperfield Kumon Tutoring Center. This fall, Brittany will attend the University of Texas at Austin, majoring in business finance. She plans to start her own medical practice one day. The recommendation letters submitted with Brittany's scholarship application praise her leadership ability, dedication, self-motivation, work excellence and organizational and mentoring skills. "Brittany's success powerfully demonstrates the impact that Junior Achievement programs can have on a young person's life," said Rick Franke, president of Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas. "The skills that students like Brittany learn-such as leadership, problem-solving, and teamwork-will serve them well. We are thrilled to help her achieve her goal of a college education through the Sweeny Award." Brittany added, "I'm honored to be named as a 2009 winner of the Sweeny Award. As I graduate from high school and begin college, I know that I will continually draw upon the valuable knowledge that I gained from Junior Achievement programs, and that it will motivate me to continue to strive for excellence." The Hugh B. Sweeny Achievement Award is named after Hugh B. "Jim" Sweeny, who served Junior Achievement for 32 years. His major accomplishments include expanding the National Junior Achievers Conference from 60 participants in 1948 to more that 3,000 delegates in 1977. The Sweeny Award is presented by the Achievement Foundation, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people develop a better understanding of the free enterprise system. About JA Worldwide® (JA) About The Achievement Foundation, Inc. -30-
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Brittany
has earned an impressive 4.0 grade point average and is ranked first in her
graduating class. She served as vice president of the Biology Club, and became
vice president of the National Honor Society and historian for the Model United
Nations. Participating in Junior Achievement throughout her high school career,
she served as vice president of public relations for her JA Company in her
junior year and was elected president in her senior year.
