JA Helps Students Start the School Year Off Right
Posted in: JA Impact
Back to school season is officially here! While some kids enjoy heading back to school to learn about their favorite subjects, others find it harder to get back into the swing of things due to the summer slump. What’s the summer slump? It refers to the learning loss kids experience if they weren’t actively learning over summer break.
A 2020 study of kids in 3rd through 5th grades showed that students lost, on average, about 20% of their school-year gains in reading and 27% of their school-year gains in math during summer break. Children from low-income families are disproportionately affected by the summer slump — which can impact them years into their education — and younger kids are prone to the most learning loss because of their stage in development.
Over the summer, Junior Achievement of Arizona helped families across the state close those learning gaps so kids continued learning year round. Keep reading to discover how JA helped students avoid the summer slump, setting them up for success in the new school year and beyond.
JA’s Partnership with the Boys & Girls Club
JA teamed up with the Boys & Girls Club of the Valley to teach thousands of kids critical life skills over summer break. Students had the chance to participate in JA programs and learn about entrepreneurship, money management, and leadership, all while having fun! They also took part in our online JA Inspire program, allowing them to explore future career paths and network with industry experts from different Arizona businesses.
On top of that, Boys & Girls Club students visited JA BizTown to put their skills to the test by becoming employees for a day in a student-sized town. They got hands-on experience paying bills, running a business, depositing paychecks, and more.
Free Online Learning Resources for Parents and Students
We provided free online resources to our community over the summer, making it easy and convenient for kids to continue learning, whether they accessed the materials themselves or their parents shared it with them. There were scholarship opportunities, educational videos and activities, and even complete JA programs. The lessons covered important topics like financial literacy, career planning, and entrepreneurship.
JA Helps Kids Keep Learning Year Round
JA doesn’t just help kids avoid the summer slump — we also provide fun and educational programs year round. We shape the futures of over 145,000 AZ students a year by offering hands-on programs that help students translate what they’re learning in school to the real world. Want to support JA’s mission to set the next generation up for success? Learning about different ways to donate and checking out our volunteer opportunities are great places to start!