[ Colorado Springs, Colorado] - Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, Inc. announced today that it has qualified for a grant from Rent-A-Center, Inc., to fund the implementation of JA's K-12 curriculum with financial literacy components.

The $4,400 grant will enable JA of Southern Colorado, Inc. to extend the breadth of its programs, emphasizing the critical need for financial education before young people leave high school and college to make their way in life. With the generous funding, the JA operation will be equipped to better engage community volunteers to implement JA programs, teaching children how they can impact the world around them as individuals, workers, and consumers. As a cornerstone of the partnership, Rent-A-Center will help expand JA hands-on classroom programs preparing students for future financial issues they may face.

All JA programs implemented through Rent-A-Center grants must be delivered in schools in which 51 percent of the student population qualifies for a free or reduced lunch program, stressing the importance of ensuring all young people have a fundamental understanding of personal financial literacy.

The funding is part of a nationwide initiative between JA Worldwide and Rent-A-Center, which involves an $800,000 grant to be implemented and dispersed over a four-year period. JA Worldwide Area Offices throughout the United States have the opportunity to apply for the annual funding. In 2008, 35 local grants will be distributed.

"JA of Southern Colorado, Inc. is honored and extremely appreciative of the support of Rent-A-Center," says Kenneth E. Wasoba. "This partnership will allow us to expand our reach, helping equip young people with 'real world' financial literacy skills that they can use on their way to a successful future."

About Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado Inc.

Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, Inc. was established in Colorado Springs in 1954. Through a dedicated volunteer network, JA provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12. JA offers educational programs that focus on seven key content areas: business, citizenship, economics, entrepreneurship, ethics/character, financial literacy, and career development. Junior Achievement of Southern Colorado, Inc. services southern Colorado and the western slope and will reach 30,789 K-12 students during the 2007-2008 school year in over 200 area schools involving close to 1,500 volunteers from the business community. Worldwide, JA operates through 140 individual area operations reaching approximately four million students in the United States, with more than 3.5 million students served by operations in 100 countries. For more information, visit http://southerncolorado.ja.org

About Rent-A-Center

Rent-A-Center, Inc., headquartered in Plano, Texas, currently operates more than 3,400 company-owned stores nationwide and in Canada and Puerto Rico. The stores generally offer high-quality, durable goods such as home electronics, appliances, computers, and furniture and accessories to consumers under flexible rental purchase arrangements that generally allow the customer to obtain ownership of the merchandise at the conclusion of an agreed-upon rental period. Learn more about Rent-A-Center at www.rentacenter.com.