About the Project
AUTHENTIC, RELEVANT, & EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
JA McWane Economic Education Center
Our mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.
JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, both known as JA Capstone Programs, combine classroom curriculum with a hands-on experiential site visit in our unique ‘learning lab’. Students and teachers visit the facilities for a day-long simulation as the culmination of their preparatory classroom curriculum.
Used together, the classroom curriculum and hands-on experiences help students begin to understand potential next generation pathways at two pivotal times in their educational career.
The Center will impact the futures of 20,000 students annually.
The programs seek to achieve the following results for students:
Provide a connection between current classroom learning and real-world application in tomorrow’s workforce
Enhance the availability, relevance and importance of next generation Career pathways
Provide the opportunity to explore real-life work experiences and develop an understanding of the skills and education needed to reach career goals
Provide programming surrounding financial literacy and workforce preparedness
Begin development of healthy behaviors and soft skills to enhance students’ opportunity trajectory Provide exposure to and understanding of the local business community
Annual Reach by the Numbers
20,000
Students
4,000
Adult Volunteers
10+
School Systems
35+
Corporate Partners
ABOUT JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF ALABAMA
70 Years of Brighter Futures
At Junior Achievement, we envision a world in which young people have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities. Our student-centered approach empowers young people to become the workforce, community leaders, business owners, and change agents that will shape the future of our communities. It creates opportunities for economic empowerment to help improve their quality of life, which will, in turn, help their families and the community.
JA of Alabama believes that every child deserves the chance for a “remarkable” future, and through our efforts on behalf of our youth, we provide students with the tools and intellectual resources to reach for their dreams.
For 70 years, Junior Achievement has been inspiring and preparing young people to be career capable and self-sufficient. Since 1954, JA programs have made a real difference for young people, through mentoring role models, real world experiences, and lessons that teach knowledge and skills necessary for success. It is time to take JA’s history of student impact and success to another level so that together we can Build a Brighter Future for Alabama.