JA Middle Grade
Learning Experiences

Junior Achievement’s unique delivery system provides the training, materials, and support necessary to bolster the chances for student success. The impact is measurable, too. Students who participate in Junior Achievement programs demonstrate a significant understanding of economics and business concepts. We invite you to take a closer look at our Middle Grade programs!

Middle Grade Learning Experiences

Junior Achievement has several highly effective programs for middle school students that reinforce the value of workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.  Students are introduced to many economic concepts and useful facts about the working world.

These learning experiences build on concepts the students learned in Junior Achievement’s elementary school programs and help teens make difficult decisions about how to best prepare for their educational and professional futures. The programs supplement standard social studies curricula and develop communication skills that are essential to success in the business world.

JA Career Speaker Series provides students with a guest speaker or video sharing information about his/her career, work, and education experience. (Grades K-12)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Career Speaker Series Program Brief
JA Career Speaker Series Program Overview

JA Economics for Success gives students the information needed to build strong personal finances, a cornerstone to a happy, secure life. Students learn the importance of exploring career options based on their skills, interests, and values. They also learn about spending money within a budget; saving and investing wisely; and using credit cautiously. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: High
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Economics for Success Program Brief
JA Economics for Success Program Overview

JA Excellence through Ethics students will learn the importance of ethics and ethical decision-making and how ethical and unethical choices affect everyone in a community. (Grades 6-12)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Excellence through Ethics Program Brief
JA Excellence through Ethics Program Overview

JA Finance Park is JA’s capstone curriculum for personal financial planning and career exploration. This teacher-led classroom curriculum culminates with a visit to JA Finance Park, a realistic onsite facility or virtually in the classroom, where students engage with volunteers and put into practice what they’ve learned by developing a personal budget. Students select their career and define their future lifestyle and financial goals.  (Grade 8)

  • Implementation: JA Capstone
  • Entrepreneurship: Moderate
  • Financial Literacy: High
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Global Marketplace introduces students to the global marketplace and the ways in which countries buy and sell from each other. Through completion of this program, students gain an understanding of producers and consumers in the interconnected global market. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: High
  • Work Readiness: Moderate

JA Global Marketplace Program Brief
JA Global Marketplace Program Overview

JA It’s My Business! teaches students how to apply their entrepreneurial skills to education, career, and service pursuits. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: High
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA It’s My Business Program Brief
JA It’s My Business Program Overview

JA It’s My Future offers practical information to help prepare students for the working world. Students will develop the personal-branding and job-hunting skills needed to earn a job. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: High
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA It’s My Future Program Brief
JA It’s My Future Program Overview

JA It’s My Job (Soft Skills) will help students understand the value of professional communication and soft skills, making them more employable to future employers across multiple career clusters. (Grades 6-12)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA It’s My Job Program Brief
JA It’s My Job Program Overview

Middle Grade Learning Experiences

Junior Achievement has several highly effective programs for middle school students that reinforce the value of workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy.  Students are introduced to many economic concepts and useful facts about the working world.

These learning experiences build on concepts the students learned in Junior Achievement’s elementary school programs and help teens make difficult decisions about how to best prepare for their educational and professional futures. The programs supplement standard social studies curricula and develop communication skills that are essential to success in the business world.

JA Career Speaker Series provides students with a guest speaker or video sharing information about his/her career, work, and education experience. (Grades K-12)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Career Speaker Series Program Brief
JA Career Speaker Series Program Overview

JA Economics for Success gives students the information needed to build strong personal finances, a cornerstone to a happy, secure life. Students learn the importance of exploring career options based on their skills, interests, and values. They also learn about spending money within a budget; saving and investing wisely; and using credit cautiously. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: High
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Economics for Success Program Brief
JA Economics for Success Program Overview

JA Excellence through Ethics students will learn the importance of ethics and ethical decision-making and how ethical and unethical choices affect everyone in a community. (Grades 6-12)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Excellence through Ethics Program Brief
JA Excellence through Ethics Program Overview

JA Finance Park is JA’s capstone curriculum for personal financial planning and career exploration. This teacher-led classroom curriculum culminates with a visit to JA Finance Park, a realistic onsite facility or virtually in the classroom, where students engage with volunteers and put into practice what they’ve learned by developing a personal budget. Students select their career and define their future lifestyle and financial goals.  (Grade 8)

  • Implementation: JA Capstone
  • Entrepreneurship: Moderate
  • Financial Literacy: High
  • Work Readiness: High

JA Global Marketplace introduces students to the global marketplace and the ways in which countries buy and sell from each other. Through completion of this program, students gain an understanding of producers and consumers in the interconnected global market. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: High
  • Work Readiness: Moderate

JA Global Marketplace Program Brief
JA Global Marketplace Program Overview

JA It’s My Business! teaches students how to apply their entrepreneurial skills to education, career, and service pursuits. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: High
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA It’s My Business Program Brief
JA It’s My Business Program Overview

JA It’s My Future offers practical information to help prepare students for the working world. Students will develop the personal-branding and job-hunting skills needed to earn a job. (Grades 6-8)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: High
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA It’s My Future Program Brief
JA It’s My Future Program Overview

JA It’s My Job (Soft Skills) will help students understand the value of professional communication and soft skills, making them more employable to future employers across multiple career clusters. (Grades 6-12)

  • Implementation: Classroom Based
  • Entrepreneurship: Minimal
  • Financial Literacy: Minimal
  • Work Readiness: High

JA It’s My Job Program Brief
JA It’s My Job Program Overview

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Abraham Lincoln once said, 'The best way to predict the future is to create it.' This quote really sums up for me, what Junior Achievement is all about. I believe the work we do through JA Programming is a wonderful way to help create a brighter future for our students and our communities.
Dr. Rick ColpittsWestern Dubuque Community School District
Dr. Rick Colpitts
Junior Achievement gives students the tools necessary to participate in and contribute to the economy. Financial literacy, workplace readiness, and entrepreneurship have always been cornerstones of financial success, and Junior Achievement of the Heartland’s programs prepare students to be business leaders, employees, and better citizens in our community.
Ted Olt IIILane & Waterman LLP
Ted Olt III
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Abraham Lincoln once said, 'The best way to predict the future is to create it.' This quote really sums up for me, what Junior Achievement is all about. I believe the work we do through JA Programming is a wonderful way to help create a brighter future for our students and our communities.
Dr. Rick Colpitts
Dr. Rick ColpittsWestern Dubuque Community School District
Junior Achievement gives students the tools necessary to participate in and contribute to the economy. Financial literacy, workplace readiness, and entrepreneurship have always been cornerstones of financial success, and Junior Achievement of the Heartland’s programs prepare students to be business leaders, employees, and better citizens in our community.
Ted Olt III
Ted Olt IIILane & Waterman LLP
Previous
Next

Contact our team to learn more!

Christy Kunz
Vice President – Education
christy.kunz@ja.org

Stacy Voelliger
Senior Education Manager
stacy.voelliger@ja.org

Nora Shook
Education Manager
nora.shook@ja.org

Melissa Rebro
JA World Program Director
melissa.rebro@ja.org

Christy Kunz
Vice President – Education
christy.kunz@ja.org

Stacy Voelliger
Senior Education Manager
stacy.voelliger@ja.org

Nora Shook
Education Manager
nora.shook@ja.org

Melissa Rebro
JA World Program Director
melissa.rebro@ja.org

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