As an anchor partner of Junior Achievement (JA) North, Securian Financial has committed $1 million to help launch and scale 3DE, an innovative learning program with the purpose to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in the global economy. 3DE, a national learning model, will roll out in two St. Paul Public Schools in 2023-25 school year and expand over time.
“We are thrilled to partner with JA North on the 3DE program,” said Tariq Malik, 2nd vice president and chief diversity officer at Securian. “It aligns perfectly with the Securian Financial Foundation focus areas of youth and education, and our priority to support efforts to close the achievement and inequality gaps in Minnesota.”
Junior Achievement prepares young people with the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities. Through experiential learning focused on financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship, students build the skills required to succeed in today’s dynamic world.
“This important work depends on dedicated partners like Securian who help increase the impact for students across our region,” said Maryse Birr, vice president of partnerships at JA North. “We are grateful for the time, talent and resources Securian has provided to our students and to our organization over the years. Together, we have made a tremendous impact!”
Securian Financial has been supporting JA North through philanthropic, board member and volunteer support for more than 20 years. “We have a long-standing partnership with JA North and trust in the work they do and the vision they have for 3DE in Minnesota,” said Tariq. “3DE has already demonstrated success in cities across the United States, and we’re excited to bring that here.”
High school reimagined; learning moves past theory
The 3DE program was launched in Atlanta in 2015 and now serves 44 schools in 10 states. School districts have seen increases in graduation and college enrollment rates and decreases in absenteeism. The program correlates with state academic standards and helps educators meet classroom goals.
The program breaks from traditional classroom structure to bring real-world connections to the learning experience. Students are presented with case challenges from representatives of businesses, government or nonprofits, and they have five weeks to work as small-business teams to create recommendations to present to the organizations. Students build communication, collaboration, cultural agility and critical thinking skills that will serve them throughout life.
Securian will be actively engaged
Securian will have the opportunity to design a case study to be part of the curriculum, which will explore a business challenge we’ve experienced. Securian associates will volunteer in the classrooms, provide coaching support and serve as judges at the culminating event to determine which student team had the best presentation in response to the challenge.
