Country Bank Pledges $30,000 to Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts

WARE — As part of its support for Junior Achievement (JA) of Western Massachusetts, Country Bank has pledged $30,000 to the organization.

For more than 100 years, JA of Western Massachusetts has provided economic education and financial-literacy programs to the youth of Western Mass. and Vermont, impacting thousands of young people each year, opening their minds to their potential, and preparing them for life after graduation.

“Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts is deeply grateful for Country Bank’s support of the JA Career, Leadership, & Innovation Center (CLIC),” said William Dziura, the organization’s development director. “As a CLIC founding sponsor, this generosity has propelled JA into the construction phase of this campaign, with renovations now underway in our current office space in Tower Square, Springfield.”

Beginning in fall 2021, JA will offer a 21st-century environment for young people to engage with JA programs, including career exploration, helping students identify fulfilling career options and make wise decisions pertaining to post-secondary education; innovation and leadership, helping students expand their thinking and skill development and preparing future leaders, entrepreneurial thinkers, and innovators; and financial education, providing students with the skills and knowledge that will allow them to make informed and effective decisions with all their financial resources.

“It has been my honor to be affiliated with Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts since the mid-90s as both a classroom volunteer and former board member,” said Tom Wolcott, Commercial Loan officer at Country Bank. “I have seen the positive and lasting impact these programs have on the students.”