SPARK | Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts

SPARK program

Click here to download the 2020-2022 SPARK Program Application

The JA SPARK Program is a free two-year program for middle school girls from across Southern Massachusetts focused on leadership development and entrepreneurial thinking. SPARK offers a unique blend of financial literacy, career readiness, entrepreneurship, and leadership development.

Following an extensive recruitment and interviewing process, twenty-four girls are chosen to participate in the program. Many have already begun their entrepreneurial endeavors and are eager to expand in their pursuits of someday owning their own business; others are just scratching the surface and diving into a world of possibilities.

The program begins with a week-long residential summer experience at Massachusetts Maritime Academy where the girls learn the foundational skills of how to be an entrepreneur, work in teams to create their own social enterprise business plans, and practice skills such as networking, business plan development, marketing and branding, and strategic planning. Participants meet periodically throughout the following academic year and then return for a week-long residential summer experience at Bridgewater State University where they put their plans into action and launch their businesses.

For more information and to apply for the 2020-2022 SPARK Program, click here.

Questions? Contact JA Events & Development Manager Nicole Nault at nicole.nault@ja.org or 508-997-6536.

Click here to view the 2018 SPARK Report: Massachusetts Maritime Academy Summer Experience!

2019 SPARK Camp Video

Created by SPARK Camp Counselors Yovelys Alvarez-Lara & Selines Diaz

THANK YOU TO OUR PROGRAM PARTNERS WHO MAKE THIS IMPACT POSSIBLE!

MAJOR PROGRAM PARTNERS:

Bristol County Savings Bank

Bristol Wealth Group

Carney Family Charitable Foundation

SPONSORING PARTNERS:

Southcoast Health

United Way of Greater New Bedford

BayCoast Bank

Rockland Trust

Saint Anne's Hospital

UNIVERSITY PARTNERS:

Bridgewater State University

Massachusetts Maritime Academy

"You can feel the impact these programs have on the children and I will be a continuous supporter of JA!"

JA Volunteer
"My students love JA time! It's a foundation for understanding how our lives work in a home and extends to a community."

Kindergarten Teacher
"I was elated to see the great boost in confidence my daughter gained."

SPARK Parent
"Teaching Junior Achievement is one of the best things I have ever done in my life. Teaching the children about important factors that will play key roles in their lives is what makes it so special. I loved the opportunity, thank you so much Junior Achievement!"

JA Volunteer
"Having a Junior Achievement volunteer in my classroom has been so great for the students."

Kindergarten Teacher
"I would like to thank you and all of JA Titan for the opportunities you have given me."

Titan Scholarship Recipient
"This program is so important for students to understand they are part of a bigger community."

School Administrator
"I really think this is a great program for the kids and I'm glad that they give these children the opportunity to show that they can be successful businesswomen."

SPARK Parent
"The most heartwarming moments are when the children present you with drawings or tell you, ‘This has been the best day ever!'"

JA Volunteer
"They're learning about important concepts like how and why to earn and save money at such a young age, and those lessons will help them become responsible members of the community as they get older."

Kindergarten Teacher