Accelerating Opportunity: How JASWNE is Shaping Connecticut’s Future Workforce
Author: Junior Achievement of Southwest New England
Corporate Responsibility
Published:
Monday, 27 Oct 2025
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Image caption: JA Student PearlHa and her team showcase their product developed through the JA Entrepreneurial Academy
When FOX61 highlighted Junior Achievement of Southwest New England in a recent news segment, President & CEO Jeremy Race shared how JA is accelerating economic opportunity and mobility for Connecticut youth. The segment displayed how JA connects students with real-world experiences, giving them the skills, confidence, and inspiration to dream bigger and prepare for success in school, careers, and beyond.
Among those students was PearlHa Trong, a high school senior who turned her JA experiences into a foundation for future success. Between developing a student-run business through JA’s Entrepreneurial Academy and building her personal brand and resume through Career Connections for Young Women, PearlHa’s story illustrates what happens when students gain hands-on learning opportunities that link education directly to opportunity-filled futures.
PearlHa started her JA journey in the JA Entrepreneurial Academy, which brings students from different schools together to develop, launch, and eventually liquidate their own businesses. Guided by corporate mentors and using the JA Company Program curriculum, students spend 12-15 weeks developing skills in entrepreneurship, teamwork, decision-making, creativity, and leadership- building confidence and collaboration skills that last a lifetime.
She also participated in Career Connections for Young Women (CCYW). The program empowers high school students to explore leadership, communication, and career pathways in a supportive, mentorship-driven environment. Built around JA’s Career Success curriculum, the program helps students define personal and professional goals, practice interview techniques, and build leadership confidence. Following the success of CCYW, Career Connections for Young Men (CCYM) will launch in fall 2025, expanding this program to give even more students the chance to explore real-world skills and career pathways this school year.
JA’s impact goes far beyond any single classroom experience. Each of JA’s signature programs focus on entrepreneurship, career readiness, and financial literacy. These programs help students across Connecticut build the confidence, knowledge, and connections to pursue their goals in their careers and futures. In the 2024–2025 school year, thanks to our incredible network of donors, educators, and volunteers, we reached 41,793 students through 3,736 learning experiences. This year, JA is building on that impact through three exciting initiatives.
JA Maritime: Starting as early as kindergarten, students are introduced to careers in shipbuilding and defense manufacturing. Through hands-on experiences and interactive curriculum, JA Maritime highlights critical workforce needs and inspires students to pursue high-demand STEM and manufacturing pathways, strengthening both our regional economy and national defense.
JA College Credit Program: High school students can earn free, transferable college credits through JA semester-long courses in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Through partnerships with leading Connecticut universities, including Albertus Magnus College, Central Connecticut State University, University of Hartford, Mitchell College, Quinnipiac University, and the University of Saint Joseph, this initiative gives students a head start in higher education, often at little to no cost to them or their schools.
JA BizTown and JA Finance Park: A 13 week curriculum and a simulated city where students explore careers and perform real-world jobs in business, manufacturing, finance and insurance, and many more industries represented by our generous sponsors. JA is endeavoring to build a brick and mortar immersive learning spaces to serve additional 8,000-10,000 Connecticut student annually, helping them understand economic systems and apply their skills in real-world contexts.
Junior Achievement of Southwest New England remains committed to creating access to opportunity-filled futures and preparing students to thrive. None of this impact would be possible without the volunteers, educators, and business leaders who bring JA’s programs to life.
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