Every Student Deserves an Opportunity-Filled Future

Each person’s future should be determined by choices, not chance. At Junior Achievement, we are committed to giving students opportunity-filled futures by helping them become confident, capable, competent, and connected to what the world has to offer.

Accelerating Economic Mobility

Junior Achievement’s learning experiences promote the transferable skills and competencies students need to take advantage of economic opportunity and achieve economic mobility. Our lessons use financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurial concepts to emphasize the importance of continuing education and training beyond high school, especially in high-growth, high-demand fields. At the same time, our experiential learning approach ensures students gain the critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and technical literacy skills needed to become lifelong learners to navigate “what’s next” in our ever-changing world.

Junior Achievement's Purpose and Values

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

The envisioned future - what we aspire to become. Junior Achievement maintains an active vision, front and center, on how we can have a positive impact on the lives of more students - guided by our core values:

Belief in the boundless potential of young people

Passion for what we do and honesty, integrity and excellence in how we do it

Respect for the talents, creativity, perspectives and backgrounds of all individuals

Belief in the power of partnership and collaboration

Conviction in the educational and motivational impact of relevant, hands-on learning

Junior Achievement Facts

What is Junior Achievement?

Junior Achievement has over 100 local JA Areas across the nation, and together we are the nation's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA's programsin the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacyignite 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.

Leadership

Betty Garger is the President and CEO of Junior Achievement of New York; and Gary Kozlowski, Partner at Crowe LLP, is the Board Chair. The Board of Directors is comprised of JA New York partner companies representing a variety of industries throughout New York City, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley. The Executive Committee consists of eleven members who form the leadership of the board and oversee five committees that ensure the organization's success.

Proven Success

Junior Achievement is one of a few nonprofits 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.

Program Reach

Nationally, Junior Achievement reaches more than 4.8 million students per year in 209,651 classrooms and after-school locations. JA programs are taught by volunteers in inner cities, suburbs, and rural areas throughout the United States, by over 100 Area Offices in all 50 states. JA New York reaches approximately 57,000 students per year across New York City, Long Island and the Lower Hudson Valley.

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.

Organizational Overview

Junior Achievement USA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and provides strategic direction, leadership, and support to over 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. JA New York was founded in 1929.

Volunteers

JA New York's 4,700 classroom volunteers come from all walks of life, including: business people, college students, parents, retirees and community members. These dedicated individuals are the backbone of our organization and deliver JA programs throughout the school year and summer.