Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement (JA) is a non-profit organization that provides supplementary education to participating schools through the use of volunteers on the topics of:

  • Financial Literacy – the ability to understand how money works in the world: how someone manages to earn or make it, how that person manages it, how he/she invests it and how that person donates it to help others.
  • Work Readiness – being able to deliver value in front-line jobs and workplaces.
  • Entrepreneurship – the process of designing, launching and running a new business offering a product, process, or service for sale or hire.

Approximately 53,000 students in the Washington, D.C. region participate in Junior Achievement programs. Junior Achievement motivates students to develop the skills needed to experience the realities and opportunities of the 21st-century global marketplace, developing the confidence to enter the workforce and contribute to economic growth.

Junior Achievement at All Saints runs from October – April. There are 5 classes to teach for grades K-5 and 6 classes for grades 6-8. Volunteers teach one lesson per month. Topics discussed in the program include:

  • Learning how to save and spend money wisely
  • Character traits employers will look for when students get their first job
  • Exploring the pros and cons of different career paths

Interested in Volunteering?
Volunteers do not have to have “business” experience. In fact, it is beneficial to have volunteers with different experiences and working styles. Volunteers who have completed the background check and are VIRTUS trained may sign up for a class that they are interested in teaching. The volunteer and classroom teacher will coordinate the times and dates for the JA volunteer to present the lessons. Volunteers will also need to register as a volunteer with Junior Achievement.  The local chapter of Junior Achievement provides course materials (lesson plans, visual aids, game boards and pieces) for each classroom. They also provide training in person and over the phone to support volunteers.