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Teen Entrepreneurs and Innovators Achieve National Recognition at Future Bound by Junior Achievement

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Students from Across the Country Earn National Honors

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — On Wednesday, June 10, Junior Achievement (JA) announced award winners at the 2026 Future BoundTM by Junior Achievement Awards Gala.  Future Bound by Junior Achievement, held at Boston University in Boston, MA, showcased the talents and achievements of young entrepreneurs and innovators nationwide. The event featured four dynamic competitions, each highlighting the ingenuity and creativity of over 300 students.  

Future Bound includes four unique competition tracks: JA Company of the Year, JA Social Innovation Challenge, JA Stock Market Challenge, and JA Titan Challenge.  

JA Company of the Year Competition Showcases student teams presenting and pitching their student-run businesses, where they are evaluated on various aspects of business performance and innovation.

JA Social Innovation Challenge This is a competition where students are challenged to identify a social problem and develop a creative solution as a business enterprise, which they then present to a panel for review.

JA Stock Market Challenge This is a competition where students engage in a fast-paced challenge of investing and trading fake funds in the real market, creating draft portfolios as teams, and finalizing their stock selections to test their investing skills.

JA Titan Challenge Showcases students who take on the role of business CEOs, making strategic decisions in areas like production, marketing, and R&D to compete for the title of JA Titan of Business.

The students competing at Future Bound underwent rigorous evaluation encompassing their business performance and individual team members’ personal and professional growth. The competition’s key components included producing a self-produced annual report and commercial, captivating live virtual presentation to a distinguished panel of business leaders, and insightful interviews with esteemed judges.

The Future Bound Awards Gala, held on Wednesday, June 10, served as the platform for presenting the coveted awards, including:

JA Company of the Year: Awarded to the student businesses that most effectively demonstrated their companies’ achievements, as well as the personal development of each team member.
First Place – EVO (Elkins Very Own) – JA of Southeast Texas, Inc.Second Place – Joe Flynn Photography – JA North, Inc.Third Place – Talk of the Town – JA of Southeast Texas, Inc.

JA Social Innovation Challenge: Awarded to the student projects that reflect diverse solutions that address real-world challenges.First Place – ColorFresh – JA of New YorkSecond Place –Forget-Me-Not – JA of the Space CoastThird Place – All Kids Swim – JA of San Diego County

JA Stock Market Challenge: Awarded to the student team that achieves the highest return on their investment.First Place – Eagles of Wallstreet – JA of Greater MiamiSecond Place – Men in Black – JA of OKI PartnersThird Place – Roaring Kitty – JA of Angelina County/JA of Dallas

JA Titan Challenge: Awarded to the student team that best demonstrates capability in financial decisions, marketing, research and development, and corporate social responsibility to earn the title of JA Titan of Business.First Place – Kaboom – JA of WashingtonSecond Place – Caribou1 – JA of MaineThird Place – PVHS2 – Team – JA of the Heartland

Chick-fil-A Community Impact Award: Awarded to the JA Social Innovation team that has created a standout solution focused on impacting a local community need.ColorFresh – JA of New York

Citizens Future-Ready Workforce Award: Awarded to the JA Company Program team that demonstrates forward-thinking leadership by expanding access to skills and opportunities, helping build the diverse, future-ready talent pipeline.Sparkbyte – JA North Central Ohio

CNA Operational Stewardship Award: Awarded to the Titan Challenge team that prioritized employee well‑being, managed production responsibly, and maintained operational excellence.EastLiver Pool 2 – JA of East Ohio

Delta Air Lines Social Impact Award: Awarded to the JA Company Program team that created a solution to address a local, national, or global social concern.Heavy Hugs – JA North Central Ohio

FedEx Global Possibilities Award: Awarded to the JA Company Program team that best exhibits the principles of global connectivity.Sparkbyte – JA North Central Ohio

Jim Sweeny Entrepreneurship Award presented by the Junior Achievement Staff Alumni Network: Awarded to a JA Company Program individual in recognition of their accomplishments, the role they played in their JA Company and their Entrepreneurial potential.Lana Nguyen, Team – JA of Southeast Texas, Inc.

Johnson & Johnson STEM Innovation Award: Awarded to the JA Social Innovation team that used innovative science, technology, engineering, and math applications to create a positive community impact.NextUse –  JA of Southeast Texas

Pacific Life Foundation Responsible Innovation Award: An award for the JA Titan Challenge team that best demonstrated excellence in responsible innovation.PVHS1 – JA of the Heartland

RSM Enduring Excellence Award: Awarded to the JA Stock Market Challenge team that achieves outstanding results through holding onto their investments without selling frequently or making emotional decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.Huskies of Wall Street – JA of the Desert Southwest

RSM Resilience Award: Awarded to the JA Stock Market Challenge team that experiences the greatest recovery from an early setback in the challenge, showcasing resilience and smart adjustments to their strategy.Sophrosyne Advisors – JA of the Space Coast

Staples Sustainable Investing Award: Awarded to the JA Stock Market Challenge team that made the highest gains through their investments in environmentally sustainable businesses/stocks.A.5 – JA of Greater Fairfield County

We are deeply grateful for our visionary and presenting sponsors’ commitment to empowering young entrepreneurs and fostering a culture of innovation. Thank you, Pacific Life Foundation, Chick-fil-A, CNA, Delta Air Lines, and Staples.  We also want to acknowledge these additional supporters who helped make the event memorable for the students: Citizens, FedEx, Johnson & Johnson, RSM US Foundation, Achievement Foundation, Farmers Insurance®, Intercontinental Exchange, Rita & Herbert Z. Gold Charitable Trust, State Farm Insurance, Junior Achievement Staff Alumni Network, and Z Zurich Foundation.

About Junior Achievement USA® (JA)
Junior Achievement is education for what’s next. As a strategic partner working in collaboration with educators, employers, investors, leaders, and the communities they serve, we are dedicated to helping students achieve academically today and economically tomorrow. As a leader in experiential learning operating on a national scale with over a century of experience, we are driving toward lasting change. This means ensuring a generation of students has the transferable skills and competencies needed to navigate a rapidly changing world. By delivering career-connected learning, we are invested in accelerating economic mobility through education. By helping students become confident, capable, and connected today, we can ensure they have access to opportunity-filled futures tomorrow. Junior Achievement reaches more than 4.8 million students annually across nearly 100 U.S. markets, and is part of JA Worldwide, which serves over 19.9 million students in more than 100 countries. Learn more at www.ja.org

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/teen-entrepreneurs-and-innovators-achieve-national-recognition-at-future-bound-by-junior-achievement-302800473.html

SOURCE Junior Achievement USA

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The Discovery Point Difference: Choosing Center-Based VPK vs. Public School Programs

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TAMPA, Fla., June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Parents of preschoolers now have many options in early childhood education. These may include half or full day private programs like church preschool or in childcare centers. When a child turns four, there are additional options including state funded PreK or a Voluntary Preschool Program (VPK) paid for with school vouchers.

State-funded programs are traditionally housed in childcare centers, but there are an increasing number of classrooms being offered at local public schools. How do parents know which option is best for their child?

At Discovery Point, children are not simply preparing for kindergarten; they are building a strong foundation in an environment intentionally designed just for them.

What Is Florida VPK?

Florida’s Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) Program provides free educational opportunities for eligible four-year-olds before they enter kindergarten. The goal of VPK is to help children develop the academic, social, emotional, and physical skills needed for future school success. Families can use their Florida VPK voucher at approved childcare centers, private preschools, and certain public-school programs.

As parents compare their options, it’s important to look beyond cost and convenience to evaluate the quality of the learning environment, teacher qualifications, safety procedures, and overall educational experience.

Why Families Choose Discovery Point Centers for VPK

Discovery Point’s Proprietary curriculum and in-center design is created for preschool aged children:

Caring, nurturing teachers specifically trained in Early Childhood Education.A secure campus designed for young children, with controlled access, structured supervision, and safety procedures focused exclusively on the needs of preschoolers.A social-emotional environment where children can learn, grow, and build friendships alongside peers their own age, without exposure to the influences, behaviors, and challenges that naturally come with sharing a campus with children as old as 12 years old.Classrooms filled with developmentally appropriate materials, toys, and learning experiences designed specifically for four- and five-year-olds.Child-sized restrooms, sinks, furniture, and learning environments that promote confidence, independence, and success.Age-appropriate playgrounds designed to meet preschool developmental needs and ASTM safety standards.Regular oversight through inspections by the Florida Department of Children and Families, along with Discovery Point’s own Quality Assurance Team, ensuring high standards for health, safety, and educational excellence.A warm, family-focused environment where children are known, valued, and encouraged to grow socially, emotionally, physically, and academically.Enrichment opportunities and experiences that go beyond what many traditional school settings can offer, helping children develop confidence, creativity, and a lifelong love of learning.A proven curriculum that prepares children for kindergarten success through hands-on learning experiences that build early literacy, math, science, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Elementary schools simply aren’t designed for little minds and little bodies.

Research continues to show that high-quality early childhood education can have lasting benefits for academic achievement and social-emotional development. For this reason, Discovery Point encourages families to carefully evaluate all preschool options and visit potential programs before making a decision.

For Florida VPK options with Discovery Point, visit https://www.discoverypoint.com/centers/ to find a location near you and schedule a tour. Discovery Point has been a leader in childcare and early education since 1988. 

Media Contact:
Briyanna Purifoye
bpurifoye@discoverypoint.com 

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-discovery-point-difference-choosing-center-based-vpk-vs-public-school-programs-302800561.html

SOURCE Discovery Point Franchising, Inc

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Whimstay Launches Same-Day Booking, Bringing Hotel-Style Spontaneity to Vacation Rentals

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Travelers can now book select vacation rentals up to four hours before check-in, closing a gap that kept the category out of reach for last-minute bookers

SAN FRANCISCO, June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Whimstay, the vacation rental platform built for last-minute travel, today announced that it now accepts same-day bookings on select properties. For participating homes, travelers can reserve a stay up to four hours before check-in, a capability long associated with hotels but rarely available in vacation rentals.

For years, the vacation rental industry stayed out of reach for same-day bookers. Long lead times, manual host approvals, and the operational complexity of turning over a home on short notice meant travelers who needed a place tonight defaulted to hotels. Whimstay’s same-day booking changes that for participating properties, giving spontaneous travelers, last-minute planners, and anyone whose plans shifted at the eleventh hour access to full homes instead of a single room.

The launch builds on Whimstay’s focus on last-minute inventory and competitive pricing. When a host opts a property into same-day booking, they are often motivated to fill an open calendar, which means travelers find space and value where they previously found neither.

Making four-hour bookings possible meant solving the trust problem that comes with speed. Whimstay built sophisticated fraud prevention into the same-day flow, screening transactions in real time so that faster bookings do not mean riskier ones for hosts or travelers.

“Same-day booking has been the standard in hotels for decades, and there was no good reason vacation rentals couldn’t offer the same thing,” said Ben Jamshahi, CEO at Whimstay. “We built the infrastructure to make it fast, safe, and reliable. Now a traveler can decide at noon and check into a full home by evening.”

Same-day booking is available now on participating Whimstay properties. To find a last-minute stay, visit whimstay.com.

About Whimstay
Whimstay is a vacation rental platform specializing in last-minute bookings and competitive pricing, connecting travelers with available homes when they need them most.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/whimstay-launches-same-day-booking-bringing-hotel-style-spontaneity-to-vacation-rentals-302800563.html

SOURCE Whimstay

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Kelley Drye Relocates San Diego Office to Del Mar

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New Location Supports Client Engagement and the Firm’s Continued Growth in California

SAN DIEGO, June 15, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Kelley Drye & Warren LLP has relocated its San Diego office from La Jolla to a new Del Mar location at 12481 High Bluff Drive, reinforcing the firm’s continued investment in California and enhancing its ability to serve clients across the state.

The new 5,000‑square‑foot office is designed as a flexible hub for client engagement and collaboration. It features a state‑of‑the‑art conference center to support client meetings and industry programming, along with shared amenities that encourage informal connection among teams and clients. Centrally located within San Diego’s business and legal community, the Del Mar office provides room for continued growth while strengthening the firm’s local presence.

“California is a critical market for our clients,” said Kelley Drye Managing Partner Dana Rosenfeld. “Our new office allows us to collaborate more closely with clients while supporting the integrated, statewide platform we are building across California.”

The San Diego relocation builds on Kelley Drye’s recent expansion in California, including the opening of its San Francisco office and the addition of privacy partner Kate Black in San Francisco and litigation partner Tom Rybarczyk in Los Angeles. Together, these investments strengthen the firm’s ability to serve clients seamlessly throughout the state.

Lawyers in Kelley Drye’s San Diego office advise clients nationwide on environmental, international trade, and litigation matters. The office is led by partners Rebecca Durrant, Andrew Homer, and Kristine Pirnia, who will continue to build the firm’s presence and deepen client relationships in the region.

“This move gives us a stronger platform for client meetings, industry programs, and engagement with the San Diego business community,” said partner Andrew Homer. “As the firm continues to grow in California, we remain focused on attracting top talent and delivering the high level of service and collaboration our clients expect.”

The San Diego office move follows Kelley Drye’s recent relocations in Washington, D.C., New Jersey, and Connecticut. Together, these milestones underscore the firm’s long‑term commitment to its people, clients, and communities, and its focus on providing exceptional legal counsel in fast‑evolving markets.

Kelley Drye & Warren LLP is a powerhouse law firm with more than 190 years of practice. With over 300 attorneys and professionals across nine offices, it offers tenacious courtroom advocacy, strategic problem‑solving, and savvy deal‑making across litigation, regulatory, trade, real estate, bankruptcy, and corporate matters. Kelley Drye represents a diverse client base, serving Fortune 500 companies, emerging businesses, and government entities across technology, finance, healthcare, defense, real estate, and manufacturing. Kelley Drye is committed to delivering practical advice, creative solutions, and exceptional value through enduring client relationships. For more information, visit www.kelleydrye.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/kelley-drye-relocates-san-diego-office-to-del-mar-302800434.html

SOURCE Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

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