The Junior Achievement Program, which will take place at West Hartford’s Hall High School, aims to inspire young women to career success.

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The career aspirations of young women will be front and center on Nov. 18 at West Hartford’s Hall High School, as more than 100 female students participate in “Career Inspirations for Young Women,” a program developed by Junior Achievement of Southwest New England in collaboration with Junior League of Hartford.

The half-day program will feature a dynamic panel of women business leaders from the region, followed by breakout sessions to engage students in exploring skills that can strengthen their career preparation. The program runs from 8:15 a.m. – 12:45 p.m.  The panelists, members of Junior League of Hartford, include:

• Heather Grahling, Owner and Founder, Vivid Hue Home, LLC
• Jodie Liddy, Executive Director, Rebuilding Together Hartford, Inc.
• Catherine Butler, Senior Finance Manager, ESPN International
• Kyra Dorsey, Product Manager, Suominen Nonwovens

The moderator for the panel will be Angelica Spanos, a reporter at FOX61.

Following the panel discussion, which will include a range of issues including negotiating skills, breakout sessions will focus on “The Importance of Soft Skills,” and “Your Personal Brand.”  The breakout sessions will be led by members of Junior League of Hartford, a local organization committed to developing the potential of women and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers.

The program at Hall, which was held for the first time last year, is in conjunction with a new JA career and workforce readiness program for young women in collaboration between Junior Achievement and Junior League of Hartford called “JA Career Connections for Young Women,” which was launched earlier this year.

Providing students with positive adult role models, who illustrate ways to build self-confidence, develop skills and find avenues of success in our economic system, is a hallmark of Junior Achievement. This year Junior Achievement of Southwest New England is working to reach 37, 000, students with real-world learning experiences in a range of programs that focus on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and work readiness.

“We are pleased to be working with Hall High School in presenting the Career Inspirations program,” said Lou Golden, president of JA of Southwest New England. “The students will get a glimpse of what it takes to succeed in a career, the range of opportunities they can pursue, and the specific challenges faced by women.”

Junior Achievement programs supplement school curricula by providing important life skills such as how to manage money, succeed in the workplace, or start a business that creates jobs. Last year, more than 2,500 volunteers — business professionals, parents, retirees, and college students — offered JA programs to students in nearly 150 schools throughout Hartford, Litchfield, New Haven, Windham, Tolland, New London and Middlesex counties.

Individuals interested in learning more about JA volunteer programs should contact 860-525-4510 or visit www.jaconn.org for details.