JA Programs
All JA curriculum is listed below. If desired, you can filter by first selecting a grade level, then a pathway.
Learn How You Can Volunteer
This program is administered by JA of Southwest New England
Career Connections for Young Women is geared to inspire young women to focus on careers, professional goals and financial responsibility. Through a series of ten-sessions students will participate in a variety of workshops, activities and lessons from one of JA’s most powerful high school curriculum, JA Career Success. In addition, the lessons will be enhanced with experiential learning through industry specific panel discussions, soft skill training and career exploration. This program is aimed to provide young women with practical advice and wisdom about the world of work, from how to get hired to understanding your personal brand.
This program is administered by JA of Southwest New England
The Entrepreneurial Academy is a unique opportunity that brings urban and suburban high school students together at a corporate site to gain skills in entrepreneurism, leadership, teamwork, ethics and career development. The focus of the 15-week, 30-hour program will be the development and launching of an actual business, using the “JA Company Program” curriculum. The program has run successfully since its start with The Hartford in 2013. The program has now grown to three sites, The Hartford, Stanley Black & Decker, and Pratt & Whitney partnered with Goodwin University.
JA All About Cars introduces students to the essential costs related to buying and operating a first car and offers tips on being a smart consumer when purchasing a vehicle. (Grades 9-12)
JA Be Entrepreneurial is a reimagined, modular program that teaches students about the mindset and the skills needed for success by aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators who add value to any organization. In JA Creative Problem Solving, students learn and apply design thinking, an innovative process for problem solving used by entrepreneurs (and intrapreneurs) to brainstorm customer-centric ideas. (Grades 9-12)
JA Be Entrepreneurial is a reimagined, modular program that teaches students about the mindset and the skills needed for success by aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators who add value to any organization. In JA Rapid Business Planning, students learn about the Lean Model Canvas, the strategic management template for developing business models. (Grades 9-12)
JA Be Entrepreneurial is a reimagined, modular program that teaches students about the mindset and the skills needed for success by aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators who add value to any organization. In JA Think Like an Entrepreneur, students develop a mindset that enables opportunity identification, innovation, value creation, and problem solving. (Grades 9-12)
JA Business Communications is a one-semester teacher-led course that equips high school students to focus on communication skills necessary to succeed in business. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
In JA Career Speakers Series, a volunteer guest speaker visits the classroom and shares information about his or her career, work, and education experience. (Grades K-12)
JA Career Success Blended Model is an engaging and comprehensive program that introduces high school students to the workplace. As interns, students participate in realistic work experiences in multiple departments of a fictional company, Orbit Boom. The program teaches soft skills and business best practices in the context of scenarios and assignments. The program consists of seven 45-minute sessions and 10 optional sessions. (Grades 9-12)
JA Community Coders is a single session that enables early elementary school students to see the importance of digital skills and jobs in the community. (Grades 1-3)
JA Company Program empowers high school students to fill a need or solve a problem in their community and teaches them practical skills required to conceptualize, capitalize, and manage their own business venture. (Grades 9-12)
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JA Company Program Pop Up teaches students how to plan, launch, and operate their own business venture within a structured, guided experience. Throughout the start-up process, students collaborate, make crucial business decisions, practice communication skills, and develop entrepreneurial knowledge and skills. (Grades 6-12)
JA Economics for Success gives students the information needed to build strong personal finances, a cornerstone to a happy, secure life. Students learn the importance of exploring career options based on their skills, interests, and values. They also learn about spending money within a budget; saving and investing wisely; and using credit cautiously. (Grades 6-8) The program includes six 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Entrepreneurial Mindset is a one-semester teacher-led course that introduces high school students to the basics of starting a business. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
Through JA Excellence through Ethics, students will learn the importance of ethics and ethical decision-making and how ethical and unethical choices affect everyone in a community. (Grades 6-12) JA Excellence through Ethics is a 60- to 90-minute learning experience with additional optional activities.
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JA Finance Park Virtual includes a virtual culminating experience for students who have completed the educator-led curriculum. Students put into practice what they've learned by developing and committing to a personal budget. The JA Finance Park Virtual simulation has been fully redeveloped, with a brand-new experience that offers two implementation options: entry level for middle school students and advanced for high school students. (Grades 7-12)
JA Financial Capability 1 is a one-semester teacher-led course in which high school students examine financial capabilities from a business perspective, focusing on banking, economics, business planning, and risk management. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
JA Financial Capability 2 is a one-semester teacher-led course in which high school students examine financial capabilities from a business perspective, focusing on employee benefits, ethics, business investment, and international business operations. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
JA Financial Literacy is a one-semester teacher-led course that equips high school students with foundational personal finance skills.(Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
JA Global Marketplace Blended Model introduces students to the global marketplace and the ways in which countries buy and sell from each other. Through completion of this program, students will gain an understanding of producers and consumers in the interconnected global market. (Grades 6-8) The program consists of seven 45-minute sessions.
JA High School Heroes provides leadership development opportunities to high school students who deliver JA programs in elementary schools. (Grades 9-12)
JA Introduction to Business and Technology 1 is a one-semester teacher-led course that introduces high school students to the basic skills necessary to succeed in business. Themes include teamwork, innovation, decision making, and ethics. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
JA Introduction to Business and Technology 2 is a one-semester teacher-led course that introduces high school students to the basic skills necessary to succeed in business. Themes include personal skills like innovation, management functions, and accounting. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
Through engaging activities, JA It’s My Business! Blended Model provides middle school students an opportunity to experience the initial steps necessary to start a business. New program content provides an authentic entrepreneurial experience for students, with each session building up to a product-pitch competition. (Grades 6-8) The program includes six 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA It’s My Future Blended Model offers middle school students practical information to help prepare them for the working world. Students will develop the personal-branding and job-hunting skills needed to earn a job. (Grades 6-8) The program includes six 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA It's My Job (Soft Skills) will help students understand the value of professional communication and soft skills, making them more employable to future employers across multiple career clusters. (Grades 6-12) The program includes six 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Launch Lesson is a point-of-entry program delivered by community entrepreneurs. Students gain firsthand knowledge about starting a business and the entrepreneurial journey. (Grades 9-12)
JA Marketing Principles 1 is a one-semester teacher-led course that introduces high school students to marketing and some basic marketing techniques. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
In JA Marketing Principles, a one-semester teacher-led course, high school students learn about marketing in the world around them and potential careers in the field. (Grades 9-12) This course has received California A-G approval from High School Articulation, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, University of California.
JA More than Money introduces students to financial literacy and entrepreneurship, and to social studies learning objectives that include money-management skills, goods and services, and global markets. Through hands-on activities and a JA cast of characters serving as symbols for financial literacy and entrepreneurship concepts, students will learn a practical approach to starting a business and making smart decisions about managing money. (Grades 3-5) This volunteer-led, kit-based learning experience can be implemented as classroom- based, remote classroom, or after- school. It includes five 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Our City featuring Cha-Ching introduces students to financial literacy and learning objectives for third–grade social studies, including how people manage their money and the importance of economic exchange within a city. (Grade 3) This volunteer-led, kit-based learning experience is available for classroom-based or remote classroom implementation. It includes five 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout. Spanish translation is available for JA Our City.
JA Our Community uses posters and games to offer practical information about businesses and the many jobs those businesses offer in a community. Students explore production methods through a simulation game, and they learn about taxes, decision making, and how money flows in an economy. (Grade 2) This volunteer-led, kit-based learning experience is available for classroom-based or remote classroom implementation. It includes five 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Our Families explains how family members' jobs and businesses contribute to the well-being of the family and of the community. The learning experience introduces the concept of needs and wants and explores the ways families plan for and acquire goods and services. Students analyze their own skills to determine ways they can support their families. (Grade 1) The learning experience is volunteer-led and kit-based, and is available in Classroom-Based and Remote Classroom implementation. It includes five 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Our Nation provides practical information about the need for employees who can meet the demands of the 21st century job market, particularly high-growth, high-demand jobs. Students will understand the skills, especially in science, technology, engineering, and math, that will make their futures brighter. (Grade 5) This volunteer-led, kit-based learning experience is available for classroom-based or remote classroom implementation. It includes five 45-minute sessions and one optional supplemental session, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Our Neighbors is a series of culturally responsive videos designed to help contextualize concepts introduced in JA’s elementary school programs. (Grades K-5)
JA Our Region introduces students to entrepreneurship and how entrepreneurs use resources to produce goods and services in a region. Students operate a hypothetical hot dog stand to understand the fundamental tasks performed by a business owner and to track the revenue and expenses of a business. (Grade 4) This volunteer-led, it-based learning experience is available for classroom-based or remote classroom implementation. It includes five 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Ourselves uses storybook characters in read-aloud and hands-on activities to introduce the role people play in an economy. Through engaging, volunteer-led activities, young students learn about individual choices, money, the importance of saving and giving, and the value of work. (Kindergarten) This volunteer-led, kit-based learning experience is available for classroom-based or remote classroom implementation. It includes five 45-minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout.
JA Personal Finance allows students to experience the interrelationship between today’s financial decisions and future financial freedom. To achieve financial health and wellness, they learn about money-management strategies, including earning, employment and income, budgeting, savings, credit and debt, consumer protection, smart shopping, risk management, investing, credit card usage, debt management, and net worth. (Grades 9-12) The program consists of eight 45-minute sessions with 3 additional modular sessions.
Through JA Take Stock in Your Future, students discover the benefits and challenges of investing in the stock market as part of a broader, long-term investment strategy and the risks and rewards of trading. (grades 9-12) The program includes five 45- minute sessions, with additional extended learning activities and optional digital assets offered throughout, including an optional online or site-based JA Stock Market Challenge competition.
This program is administered by JA of Southwest New England
Jr. Apprentice (JrA) serves as an education to employment link designed to enhance and strengthen student motivation to graduate high school with robust pathways to a successful work life while simultaneously breaking down barriers youth face in the job market. It is a year-long work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy initiative for inner-city Hartford students that involves weekly training, off-site experiential learning at businesses and institutions of higher education, and culminates with each student earning a paid internship at a local business.