About JA
Junior Achievement's purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. We maintain 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.
Our core values:
Belief in the boundless potential of young people Commitment to the principles of market-based economics and entrepreneurship 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
Junior Achievement Facts
Junior Achievement has 106 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 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.
Leadership
Mr. James Carroll (Jim), Senior Vice President, Global Government Relations of Honeywell International, is chairman of the Junior Achievement USA board of directors. Jack E. Kosakowski is the president and chief executive officer of Junior Achievement. 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. Keith Vinson is the President and CEO of JA of Dallas.
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. We invite you to read the Programs Evaluation Results.
Program Reach
Nationally, Junior Achievement reaches nearly 4.8 million students per year in 208,373 classrooms and after-school locations. JA programs are taught by volunteers in inner cities, suburbs, and rural areas throughout the United States, by 106 Area Offices in all 50 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, and provides strategic direction, leadership, and support to 106 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.
Volunteers
Junior Achievement’s 247,350 classroom volunteers come from all walks of life, including: business people, college students, parents and retirees. These dedicated individuals are the backbone of our organization.
About JA Worldwide
As one of the world’s largest youth-serving NGOs, JA Worldwide activates youth for the future of jobs. Through the delivery of cutting-edge, experiential learning in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship, we create pathways for employability and job creation. Each year, our network of over 470,000 volunteers serves more than 10 million students in over 100 countries.