Junior Achievement has been promoting business education since 1919, first through an after-school secondary program, and later through in-school partnerships with educators. The cumulative impact on students is currently nearly 80 million, and it's growing.
The impact is measurable, too. Students who participate in Junior Achievement programs demonstrate a significant understanding of economics and business concepts, particularly those who participate in programs at consecutive grade levels, according to independent evaluators.
Why Junior Achievement in the Classroom?
Junior Achievement's unique delivery system provides the training, materials, and support necessary to bolster the chances for student success. At your invitation, we help arrange for business people and local community leaders to visit your classroom a few times or throughout the semester. They volunteer to share their workforce experience with your students, all while teaching sound economic principles and reinforcing your class curricula. JA Programs show a significant impact in confidence, problem solving skills, decision-making abilities, critical thinking, and interpersonal communication for the average JA graduate. While only 82 percent of non-JA respondents believe they can function well on a business team, 96 percent of JA alumni report that Junior Achievement makes them confident about working effectively in a team environment. In addition, 88 percent of alumni say JA helped them hone their decision-making skills, and 85 percent indicate that they have strengthened their interpersonal communication skills through JA. A recent study goes into detail about JA Alumni Success. Read some of our teacher and volunteer testimonials to find out more about why you should have JA in your classroom.
Do your programs correlate with the Virginia Standards of Learning (SOLs)?
Yes, JA Programs have been designed with the Virginia SOLs in mind to ensure that your students are learning and reviewing valuable information. To see how the JA Programs match your grade level's SOLs, take a look at the SOL Correlation Sheet.
What does becoming a JA Teacher entail?
JA Teachers partner with a community volunteer, provided by the local JA Staff, to schedule sessions in which the volunteer comes into the classroom to mentor the students and teach the materials provided in within the JA Program Kit. JA Programs are absolutely FREE to teachers! Businesses and individuals across Hampton Roads have made generous donations to enable us to bring these programs to you at no cost. Junior Achievement offers a variety of programs that deal with work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy, all presented in age-appropriate ways, including games and hands-on activities. Your local JA Staff will help you select the program that is best suited to fit into your classroom curriculum and once the program is selected, we find you a volunteer.
When would a JA Volunteer come into my classroom?
JA Teachers work with their JA Volunteer to schedule classroom visits that meet both of your schedules. Please understand that business people are busy people; and at times, lessons may need to be rescheduled. We encourage all JA Volunteers to notify the teacher as soon as possible if any changes to the schedule are needed. Listed below is a breakdown of the time commitment in which the JA Volunteer would be visiting your classroom.
What are some options for scheduling?
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Elementary:
5 lessons*
25-40 minutes each lesson
Your choice of format:
- 1 lesson a week = 5 weeks
- 1 lesson a day = 1 week
- 5 lessons in a day = JA Day
*specific dates and times are based on your schedule’s flexibility. If you and your volunteer decide on a different set of dates, it's all up to you.
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Middle/High:
6-12 lessons* (depending on the program)
45-60 minutes each lesson
1 lesson a week = 6-12 weeks
*specific dates are based on your schedule’s flexibility. Some volunteers choose to teach 2 lessons in one visit, and others teach 2 lessons a week until the program is finished. It's all up to you!
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Where do I sign up?
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You can sign up for JA Program several different ways:
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