Since 1919, Junior Achievement has helped young people recognize how their talent and abilities can create better lives for themselves and those around them.  JA's sequential and intergrated kindergarten through grade 12 programs help young people use information, apply basic skills, think critically, and solve complex problems.

JA brings volunteers from the community face to face with students for the simplest of human interaction-sharing.  Classroom volunteers make economic concepts relevant, fuel the entrepreneurial spirit, and challenge the students to excel.  JA's unique delivery system provides the training, materials, and support necessary to ensure a positive experience.

The following is a brief explanation of the programs offered to the students served by Junior Achievement of Northeast Michigan, Inc.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAM   

The Elementary School Programs provide educational and fun thematic units for sutdents in kindergarten through sixth grade.  The programs focus on economics and the role of business in students' lives as individuals,family members, and as participants in local, national and global communties.  Each grade expands the students' horizons.  Each grade reinforces the usefulness of school skills in everyday life and helps students understand that they must work hard in school as a step towards a productive future.  Volunteers visit the classroom 5 weeks for approximately 40 minutes.

Ourselves introduces the economic roles of individuals.

Our Families discusses the role of families in the local economy.

Our Community examines responsibilities and economics opportunities available within a community.

Our City considers economic development, local businesses, and career opportunities.

Our Region features the ecomomic/business resources found in state and regional economies.

Our Nation studies U.S. business operations and economic issues.

JA Dollars and $ense teaches students about earning, spending, sharing and saving money and businesses they can start or jobs they can perform to earn money.  Six (6) required after school, volunteer-led activities.

MIDDLE GRADE PROGRAMS 

JA America Works provides students with examples of how business and entrepreneurship affected the economic development of the United States during the 19th century. Six (6) required, volunteer-led activities.

JA Economics for Success explores personal finance and students' education and career options based on their skills, interests and values, also demonstrates the economic benefits of staying in school.  Six (6) required, volunteer-led activities.

JA It's My Business emphasizes entrepreneurship while providing a strong focus on social studies, reading, and writing skills.  Students are encouraged to use critical thinking to learn entrepreneurial skills that support positive attitudes as they explore and enhance their career aspirations.  Six (6) required, volunteer-led activities.

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS  

JA Economics is a one-semester course that examines the fundamental concepts of micro-, macro-, and international economics.  The training brought to the classroom by business volunteers is an exciting hands-0n course in which students examine the U.S. economic system, explore business operations, study the emerging global economy and acquire knowledge and skills necessary to function as competent citizens, workers, and consumers.  Economics brings textbook theories to life.  Volunteers visit their class of high school students for eight one hour sessions.

JA TITAN School Edition is an online business simulation which allows a player to serve as CEO of a fictional company.  Players compete against other companies to get the best score by making decisions regarding the company's strategic direction, while reacting to changes in the marketplace.  Players plan and execute each aspect of a company's strategy--price, production, marketing, capital investment, and R & D.  A "Performance Index" combines these key factors in evaluating company performances such as earnings, supply and demand potential, productivity, market share, and growth.  The Performance Index then ranks each competing company to determine which firm is achieving the best results at the end of each plase of the competition.

JA Company Program encompasses business, economics, and entrepreneurship curriculum for students in grades 9 through 12.  The program emphasizes business content, while providing a strong focus on mathematics, reading, and writing skills.  The JA Company Program experience enhances student's classroom curriculum. Students are encouraged to use innovative thinking to learn business skills that support positive attitudes as they explore and enhance their career aspirations.

JA Banks in Action provides students with the opportunity to learn about the many facets of the banking industry. Lessons are reinforced via a computer simulation in which students make key decisions as bank management teams.

JA Careers with a Purpose will provide students with valuable career exploration and decision-making experiences.

JA Success Skills will provide seven volunteer-led sessions designed to help students develop work-readiness skills. This program meets the needs of a diverse group of high school studenty by providing engaging academically enriching, and experiental-learning session in work readiness education and career prerspectives. Students with identify and demonstrate the work readiness skills needed to research, get and keep a job. They will develop innovative personal strategies to achieve lifelong learning pursuits and career opportunities.