Program Spotlight: JA Personal Finance

JA Personal Finance®

Grades 9-12

Students learn about:

• Earning money
• Spending money wisely through budgeting
• saving and investing money
• using credit cautiously
• protecting one’s personal finances

Following participation in the program, students will be able to:

• Recognize the fundamental elements of their personal finances: earnings, saving and investing, budgeting, credit, risk management, and giving.
• Apply these fundamental elements to a personal financial plan that allows them to set specific goals for their lifelong financial needs and desired quality of life.

Session One: Plan to Earn

Students learn that healthy personal finances take planning and managing. They begin to analyze major life events and issues that have financial implications.

Session Two: Saving for Life

Students analyze the role saving plays in their personal finances and how having a healthy savings plan is necessary in all phases of life.

Session Three: The Budget Game

Students investigate budgeting and why many people have difficulty staying within a budget.

Session Four: Credit Choices

Students analyze the importance of credit and the outcomes of wise and poor use of credit.

Session Five: Savvy Consumer

Groups work together to create public service announcements (PSAs) to inform each other of risks they could face in their finances and identify ways to protect themselves from potential loss.

Bring JA Personal Finance to your classroom!

At your invitation, we help arrange for business people and local community leaders to visit your classroom a few times or throughout the semester. Request JA Personal Finance for your classroom today at JAjax.com.

Become a JA Volunteer!

Join Junior Achievement’s national network of more than 213,000 volunteers and help students in your community connect the dots between what they learn in school and the “business of life”— work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Visit JAjax.com to learn how you can become a JA Volunteer.

Stay connected: Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // Google+ // Instagram // Website

Kind and selfless act by high school students in JA Company Program

Teens in the JA Company Program® at Sandalwood High School donated their total profit of $250 to Clara White Mission.

Sandalwood High School JA Company, “The Plug,” with a check made out to Clara White Mission in the amount of $250.

Above photo shows the check in the hands of JA Company, “The Plug,” and below is Tiffany Mackey of Junior Achievement and Sandalwood’s Mrs. Jones presenting the check to Clara White Mission CEO/President, Ju’Coby Pittman.

Clara White Mission CEO/President, Ju’Coby Pittman (center) receives a $250 check for the organization from Sandalwood High School JA Company.

JA Company Program® is a blended learning approach that offers groups of students the opportunity to understand the steps involved in launching their own businesses while learning the basics of entrepreneurship, financial litearacy and business success. Learn more about JA Company Program in Jacksonville.

Stay connected: Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // Google+ // Website

The Allstate Foundation grants Junior Achievement $15,000 for youth workforce development

Junior Achievement of North Florida received a grant from The Allstate Foundation for the JA Work$ program which empowers youth to enter the workforce.

Two hundred students from Andrew Jackson and Ribault High Schools participated in the JA Personal Finance and JA Career Success programs as part of JA Work$. They learned about crucial workplace skills employers seek and the tools to find a job including resumes, cover letters, and interviewing techniques. They also set their own personal financial plan and goals!

Forty students were selected from that group to undergo training for their “job,” teaching a Junior Achievement program to kindergarten and 1st grade classes at Andrew Robinson and Sallye B. Mathis Elementary Schools.

They worked on their presentation and public speaking skills and entered the classrooms on June 2 to put their skills to the test. Not only did the students teach the elementary students about basic economic concepts covered in the Junior Achievement program, but they served as positive role models and represented a high school that the elementary students will one day be enrolled.

The kindergarten and first graders loved having them in their classroom – smiles all around – what a great way to end the school year! Special thanks to The Allstate Foundation for making this program possible.

View more photos from JA Work$

Stay connected with Junior Achievement of North Florida: Facebook // Twitter // LinkedIn // Google+ // Website

JA Company selling ‘sweet’ product at Terry Parker High School

CTRL Chocolatiers, student-run JA Company at Terry Parker High, are making and selling chocolate-covered pretzels. They are all Senior culinary students who have a passion for creating and cooking for people. The JA Company Program provides a way for them to turn this creative passion into a profitable business.

To learn more about JA Company Program, click here.

Mentor Duval County high school students as they start companies in JA Company Program!

High school Seniors face real-world budgeting scenarios

JA Finance Park Virtual  is wrapping up in 20 Duval County Public Schools. More than 5,000 high school Seniors are now better prepared to own their economic success!

This was the first school year the curriculum was rolled out county-wide. 41 Economics teachers led the curriculum in their classrooms and more than 50 individual volunteers gave their time and expertise going into the classroom and sharing lessons in budgeting and personal finance.

Students navigate their way through the virtual Park, complete with their own avatar they design themselves.

They must visit each “store” in the Park, and decide how each product or service fits into their budget.

The simulation will not let students move forward if they do not budget correctly within their given means. Students learn quickly that the $50,000 car they thought they wanted, or dining out every night, might not be the most economical choices!

As we prepare for the 2015-2016 school year, we invite you to join us in the classroom. Contact Teresa Smith at 398-9944 ext.227 or email teresa@jajax.com and find out how you can get involved!

Sponsorships are available for storefronts in the virtual Park. Students see sponsoring company logos placed on stores throughout the Park and on budgeting worksheets when they enter each “store.” Contact Steve St. Amand for details at 398-9944 ext.228 or email jajaxsteve@hotmail.com.

Click here to learn more about JA Finance Park Virtual and to see the Park in action!

Junior Achievement’s Company Program teaches lessons in entrepreneurship

Englewood High School students of JA company, “School Swag,” from left to right: Almir Keserovic, Tyree Silver, Anthony Montgomery and Reid Ellis. The company sold t-shirts for Spring Break 2015.

The JA Company Program lets high school students become entrepreneurs and puts them face-to-face with all the challenges associated with it, including budgeting, teamwork, inventory and marketing.

Seniors at Englewood High School have been facing those challenges all school year running their t-shirt company, “School Swag.”

The students took on leadership roles in finance, marketing, supply and demand and operations. They also learned the importance of communicating effectively as a salesperson.

Once they decided to sell t-shirts and tank tops for Spring Break, their first challenge was getting an inventory of shirts. Luckily, a connection with Mandarin Rotary member, Ladson Montgomery, came through with a shirt donation and the students were ready to begin sketching their designs.

   

The participating students are part of Englewood’s “Promotional Enterprises” program which provides courses in business education with a focus on marketing and manufacturing. Given the nature of that program, tools including a printing press and computers equipped with design software were already at their fingertips – a perfect resource for their t-shirt business.

“Out of many ideas, we narrowed it down to t shirts and tank tops for Spring Break,” said Reid Ellis, 18. “We came up with two prints: one said ‘Spring Break 2015’ and the other, ‘I Can’t Keep Calm It’s Spring Break.’”

       

With a production cost of $3 to print, the students sold their shirts to fellow students and faculty for $10 during lunch.

They marketed their product with posters around campus and a commercial on the school news. Word-of-mouth spread further awareness.

“This program has helped prepare us and put us in the mindset of what it’s like in business in the real world,” said Reid. “It’s definitely a good program to be a part of because it gives us leadership opportunities.”

“Being in high school, most of us aren’t aware of everything it takes to run a business. This gives us a snapshot. It can help us later on in our jobs because we know what skills are required. During a job interview, mentioning that we participated in Junior Achievement can make us valuable candidates.”

The JA Company Program is also underway at Wolfson High School and new classes will start in the fall.

Get involved with JA Company Program!

If you are a small business owner, have a knack for entrepreneurship, or are interested in getting involved with JA Company Program during the 2015-2016 school year, we’d love to have you as a volunteer!

Please contact Tiffany Mackey, Junior Achievement VP of Programs, at 904-398-9944 ext.230 or email tiffany@jajax.com.

To learn more about JA Company Program, please visit our website.

JA Students visit Microsoft Store in Jacksonville

Sandalwood High School students visited the Microsoft Store at St. Johns Town Center as part of JA Job Shadow.

They interacted with store employees, got a tour of the store and learned about Microsoft as a corporation.

Students received job advice that applies no matter what career field they choose, such as the importance of communication and team work.

Check out their experience!

Sandalwood High School seniors experience JA Job Shadow at the Microsoft Store

Twenty-one seniors from Sandalwood High School visited the Microsoft Store at St. Johns Town Center today for JA Job Shadow. Prior to their visit they completed classroom lessons about resumes, job hunting and career exploration.

Today they experienced those concepts first-hand when they interacted with Microsoft store employees, learning about the jobs and careers available at Microsoft and what it takes to successfully land a job.

      

An ice breaker activity had each student name their favorite cereal, car, and ideal career. Several students expressed an interest in the technology field as a career – making their experience at the Microsoft store that much more beneficial.

The students learned about the different store positions and qualities Microsoft looks for in employees. Even if they are not interested in a career with Microsoft, the students were able to understand the importance of team work in any workplace.

For the students who were unsure about which career to pursue, the Microsoft employees inspired them to seek careers associated with what they’re interested in.

To round out their visit to the Microsoft store the students had the opportunity to demo the latest phones, tablets and Xbox games.

To learn more about JA Job Shadow please visit our website.

Share your entrepreneurial knowledge with high school students!