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Why JA?

Did you know that the majority of Arizona CEOs believe employees lack critical skills that are needed to succeed in the workplace? More than half of adults under 30 do not keep a personal budget, their average debt is over $45,000, and 12% of them don’t even have a job.

It’s our responsibility to empower future generations — to equip them with the skills and knowledge to be successful and pursue their dreams. These are our kids, grandchildren, our future colleagues and community leaders. The success of our economy depends on their preparedness.

With the support of thousands of education, business and volunteer partners, we are giving kids the tools to succeed. Our volunteer mentors from the community teach students about the importance of money management, workforce readiness and entrepreneurial thinking. Arming today’s youth with this critical education will result in less financial instability and debt, a better-trained workforce, a more robust economy and healthier families.

 

JA Alumni Story – Carina Inganamort

JA Alumni Story: From Behind the Scenes to the Front Lines Carina Inganamort is an Arizona native who is currently.... Tell me more

 

53% of JA alumni have started or owned a business

JA students graduate at a higher rate than the AZ graduation rate

4-in-5 alumni report that JA played an important role in choosing their career path

WHO WE ARE

For more than 60+ years, Junior Achievement of Arizona (JA) has been preparing millions of Arizona students to succeed in work and life. We’re empowering their futures by giving them the knowledge and skills they need to manage their money, plan for their future, and make smart academic, career and economic choices. Delivered by 8,000+ business and community volunteer mentors, our hands-on, age-appropriate programs focus on three key areas: financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. At the foundation of all our programs is teaching students the ability to think critically.

Set to serve more than 85,000 students this year and over 2 million since its founding, JA is shaping the college- and career-readiness conversation, and we play an important role in Arizona’s workforce and economic development. Our programs help students connect what they learn in the classroom to the real world, and demonstrate how learning correlates to earning – knowledge critical to empowering today’s students to be successful, contributing members of society in the future.

We serve students with diverse backgrounds and socio-economic status throughout Arizona. While our programs are invaluable to all students regardless of background, the majority of the students we serve come from low-income households.

We are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization wholly dependent on the financial and volunteer support of individuals, foundations and businesses. Our in-classroom programs are offered at no cost to teachers or students.

We have two offices – headquartered in Tempe, where our two JA BizTown® facilities are located, and another office in Tucson, serving our Southern Arizona students and partners. We are a member of Junior Achievement USA.

LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR PROGRAMS


Our Mission

To inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.


Our Pillars

Financial literacy

work readiness

Entrepreneurship