CenturyLink Utah

QWEST FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT TO HELP STUDENTS UNDERSTAND FREE ENTERPRISE

SALT LAKE CITY, May 19, 2008 – The CenturyLink Foundation today announced the extension of its partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) of Utah, Inc., with a $35,000 donation to help students learn about free enterprise and sound financial principles.

To help drive home its lessons, one of the programs JA of Utah uses is called JA City. Located in the Discovery Gateway, 444 West 100 South in Salt Lake City, JA City serves as an experimental learning laboratory for students. It is a “mini-municipality” with the entire infrastructure of a real city – including utilities, retail, banking and city government. CenturyLink sponsors a “store front” in JA City, complete with a communications related exhibit.

“The free enterprise system is so important to the American way of life. It’s crucial that students learn sound financial principles early in life,” said Jerry Fenn, CenturyLink president in Utah. “I’m glad that the CenturyLink Foundation is working with Junior Achievement to present JA City. Students will really benefit from it, and I’m pleased that CenturyLink is part of the team.”   

“JA of Utah is proud of its mission and the impact we make on students,” said Philip T. Cofield, JA of Utah president and CEO. “We could not provide the services we offer or achieve such success without community partners like the CenturyLink Foundation.”

JA City offers programs for fifth- and eighth-grade students. The fifth-grade program gives students real-life experiences in running a business and being consumers. In the eighth-grade experience students learn life skills in managing personal finances.

 CenturyLink also provides employee volunteers to Washington Elementary School in Salt Lake City as part of JA’s whole school program. The CenturyLink Pioneers, a service organization of current and retired CenturyLink employees, also volunteers with the JA school program at St. Francis Xavier School in Kearns.