Plainview JFK Senior is Junior Achievement Student of the Year

student Melissa Benenson has been selected as Junior Achievement of New York’s Student of the Year for 2011-2012.

Benenson, a senior, was nominated for this prestigious award by one of her teachers, Ms. Lindsay Mandell, at the end of last school year.

Melissa first partnered with Junior Achievement of NY during the 2010-2011 school year as part of her Financial Literacy Promotion DECA project. The project's goal was to educate students on key aspects of financial responsibility.

Melissa and her teammates used a “More than Money” curriculum, targeting fifth grade students through a full day of instruction provided by high school students. The juniors and seniors that took part in the project were dubbed ‘high school heroes’ for their efforts.

As Student of the Year, Melissa is now the student-face of Junior Achievement of NY. She was honored at a fundraising gala in New York City on Nov. 29, where she was seated among representatives from some of the world’s most prominent corporations. Those firms included American Express, Pricewaterhouse Coopers, Ernst & Young, Pfizer, Goldman Sachs, and Morgan Stanley.

Melissa delivered a speech during the gala and presented a short film regarding her experiences with the Junior Achievement program.