How Do They Work? | Junior Achievement of Central Virginia

Bring Junior Achievement To Your Classroom!

Central Virginia brings quality volunteers from the community into your virtual classroom to deliver proven, hands-on programming on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship that inspires students to understand the opportunities provided by education.

Importance of Staying in School

JA reinforces the value of an education. Evaluations conducted by an independent research firm showed that an average of eight out of 10 high school students reported that JA programs helped reinforce the importance of staying in school. In longitudinal studies, JA students were significantly more likely than their peers to believe that they would graduate from high school, pursue post-secondary education and graduate from college.
Preparation for the Real World

Ninety-five percent of teachers report that students who participate in JA have a better understanding of how the real world operates, and nine out of 10 teachers and volunteers agree that JA programs connect what is learned in the classroom to the outside world.
Educator-Respected and Recommended

Ninety-six percent of teachers agreed or strongly agreed that they would recommend JA to a colleague or friend.

How it Works

Contact Us!

We make it easy! Complete a program request form to get started, or if you have any questions, email us at jaeducation@JAtoday.org. One of our helpful JA Program Managers will then be in touch.

Choose YOur Schedule

Once your virtual volunteer is matched to your class, you will work together to determine a schedule that suits your students . In this virtual environment, most programs will include 1-3 live virtual volunteer "visits" to enhance the teacher-led curriculum. Pre-recorded options are also available for most programs.

During the Visit

You'll support your JA volunteer as they share stories, advice, and expertise to enhance the teacher-led JA curriculum.

Congratulations!

By the end of the first visit, you will see how the JA experience motivated your students and kept them engaged! They also now have a better understanding of why school is important for their future!

Watch the Video

VOLUNTEER VIDEO RESOURCES

JA Virtual Home

Program Videos (K-5)

JA Career Speakers (6-12)

JA Ethics (9-12)

JA is a thought leader in the industry! Take a look at a few critical issues papers JA has developed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are JA programs relevant to my teaching goals?

All JA programs align with Virginia Standards of Learning. Check out the correlations here. They also focus on relevant life skills regarding financial literacy, work & career readiness, and entrepreneurship, so students are prepared to succeed when they enter the adult world.

What is my classroom time investment?

We understand that your classroom time is limited, even more so this year. JA programs support the content you're already teaching, and in 2020-2021, can be taught by you in your classroom with a virtual volunteer enhancement. Each lesson is scheduled to last 45 minutes, though timing and delivery are flexible in a virtual environment.

Where do the volunteers come from?

JA programs are delivered by trained corporate and community volunteers who share their skills and personal and professional experiences to make learning come to life. In 2020-2021, volunteers are able to support the programs through pre-recorded videos and/or live, virtual "visits."

Are JA programs effective?

Yes! An independent research firm showed that an average of eight out of 10 high school students reported that JA programs helped reinforce the importance of staying in school. In longitudinal studies, JA students were significantly more likely than their peers to believe that they would graduate from high school, pursue post-secondary education and graduate from college.

What JA program will be taught in my class?

JA offers several programs for K-12 grade-levels, all at no cost to you or your school. Learn more about them on our programs page.

Do I need to teach the JA program?

At JA, we believe in the power of the volunteer connection, but we also believe in the expertise of a teacher. Given a virtual environment, we're providing curriculum directly to teachers and connecting volunteers with classrooms to support the JA content being taught.

"Junior Achievement has given me a sense of what adults go through with budget issues."

-Junior Achievement Student
"Junior Achievement reinforced concepts for me to remember later in life."

-Junior Achievement Student
"I thought the experience was amazing. The presentation was unlike anything I've seen."

-Junior Achievement Student
"I liked how the Junior Achievement volunteer explained his job to us."

-Junior Achievement Student