WHAT IS JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT?

Junior Achievement has 100 local JA Areas across the nation's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA's programs - in the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy - ignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century.

PURPOSE

Junior Achievement's purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.   

PROGRAM REACH

Junior Achievement USA reaches 3 million students per year in 127,817 classrooms and after-school locations. JA programs are taught by volunteers in inner cities, suburbs, and rural areas throughout the United States,  by 100  JA Area Offices in all 50 states.  

VOLUNTEERS

Junior Achievement's 151,906 classroom volunteers come from all walks of life, including business people, college students, parents and retirees. These dedicated individuals are the backbone of the organization.   

PROVEN SUCCESS

Junior Achievement is one of a few nonprofits organizations to use independent, third-party evaluators to gauge the impact of its programs. Since 1993, independent evaluators have conducted studies on Junior Achievement's effectiveness. Findings prove that Junior Achievement has a positive impact in a number of critical areas. We invite you to read the Programs Evaluation Results. Summaries of the findings also are published in the Junior Achievement Programs section at www.ja.org.  

LEADERSHIP

Mr. Alan Armstrong, President & CEO of The Williams Companies, is chairman of the Junior Achievement USA board of directors. Jack E. Kosakowski is the president and chief executive officer of Junior Achievement USA.  Junior Achievement USA board members represent a wide range of businesses and academic institutions around the world. In addition, approximately 3,800 board members lead JA Area Offices around the United States.  

A BRIEF HISTORY 

Junior Achievement was founded in 1919 by Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone & Telegraph Horace Moses, president of Strathmore Paper Co.; and Senator Murray Crane of Massachusetts. Its first program, JA Company Program, was offered to high school students on an after-school basis. In 1975, the organization entered the classroom with the introduction of Project Business for the middle grades. Over the last 39 years, Junior Achievement has expanded its activities and broadened its scope to include in-school and after-school students.   

 
ORGANIZATION OVERVIEW   

Junior Achievement USA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, USA, and provides strategic direction, leadership, and support to 100 JA Areas across the nation. Local volunteer boards of directors comprised of business, education and civic leaders set the policy and direction for each local office.