High School Programs

JA Worldwide’s high school programs for students in grades 9-12 include economic and business curricula, an after-school student-led enterprise, and a one-day workplace capstone experience. The dynamic interaction between JA volunteers and students promotes active learning and brings theory to life. Each week, for five to eight weeks, business volunteers serve as role models leading discussions and engaging activities, or they serve as consultants for a student-run business. They enrich the programs with their own experiences and knowledge. Materials for each program are packaged in a kit that contains detailed activity plans, informative workbooks for students, and additional materials to ensure a successful experience for students, teachers, and volunteers. JA Banks in Action™ teaches high school students the principles of the banking industry and familiarizes them with the challenges of successfully operating a bank in a competitive environment. Eight required, volunteer-led sessions. JA Be Entrepreneurial, a new high school program, focuses on challenging students, through interactive classroom activities, to start their own entrepreneurial venture while still in high school. JA Business Ethics™ fosters students’ ethical decision-making as they prepare to enter the workforce and take part in the global marketplace. Seven required, five supplemental, volunteer-led sessions. JA Careers with a Purpose™ introduces students to the importance of seeking careers that help them realize their life potential and noble purpose. Seven required, volunteer-led sessions. JA Economics™ examines the fundamental concepts of micro-, macro-, and international economics. Seven required, volunteer-led sessions. JA Exploring Economics tackles a complex subject and makes it accessible and fun for high school students through hands-on activities. JA Exploring Economics teaches concepts such as supply and demand and inflation, and teaches students about the effect which governments and the individual have on the global economy and on the price of a loaf of bread. JA Success Skills® helps students develop work-readiness skills necessary for the workplace and life. Seven required, volunteer-led sessions. JA Titan® introduces critical economics and management decisions through an interactive simulation. Seven required, volunteer-led sessions. The Junior Achievement High School Financial Planning Program introduces students to the importance of making wise financial decisions. The program demonstrates the importance of planning, goal-setting, and thoughtful decision-making within the context of personal financial decisions.   Capstone Program – JA Finance Park A.G. Edwards JA Finance Park offers 8th-12th grade students personal financial management and career exploration through classroom instruction and active participation in a simulated community.  Students are excited to learn the challenges of making adult decisions, such as how to pay bills and manage their money for a family.  Students spend one day at A.G. Edwards JA Finance Park, where they apply curriculum by making important spending decisions and maintaining a balanced budget.  Personal finance becomes meaningful and real to students in this experiential learning adventure! JA Company Program The JA Company Program helps students understand the entrepreneurial process and how businesses operate.  The students form and operate a small corporation either after-school or in-school.  They sell stock, elect company officers, manufacture or acquire (for retail) and market a product, keep records and pay expenses, liquidate the company and publish an annual stockholders report.  The program also helps students understand the value of ethics and teamwork, and improve their leadership, critical thinking and presentation skills while building confidence and enhancing self-esteem.  After-school, JA student companies meet for 2 ½ hours once a week for 15 weeks.  JA Job Shadow™ JA Job Shadow gives high school students an up-close look at the world of work. Job Shadow helps students better understand the real connection between the workplace and school.