Financial planning isn’t usually top of mind for most students, and not everyone would say math class was their favorite subject. Even parents and teachers will sometimes hear children say, “When will I ever use this when I grow up?”
ENTER: Junior Achievement (JA)!
Founded in 1961, Junior Achievement of South-Central PA serves over 100,000 PreK-12th grade students annually at no cost to the schools. Since the organization’s headquarters and BizTown program are located in York County, many YCCF staff and community members have the opportunity to volunteer and see firsthand how students benefit from JA’s career-readiness programs.
Through engaging, experiential lessons, JA programs help students connect what they’re learning in the classroom to the real world. Their goal is to help children recognize the value of education, even if they don’t love math class!
With a THRIVE grant from YCCF, a program was created for York County’s 71 Title I Schools – a designation for schools where over 40% of the student population qualify for free or reduced lunch. Traditional JA programs were reworked to provide a more tailored strategy that better suits the needs and challenges of these schools and its students. This new approach will provide financial literacy and work readiness opportunities to over 20,000 Prek-12th grade students all across the county during the 2024-25 school year.
In the School District of the City of York, this program was complemented by a grant from the Racial Equity Fund to place a dedicated part-time JA employee in the schools. This ensures that programs continue to be offered to York City students, even when there is a shortage of volunteers.
JA programs are designed to help students learn to manage their finances, understand basic economic concepts, explore various careers, and develop in-demand job skills. “Our hope is to equip students with the tools they need to prepare for their journey to adulthood. We want young people to understand the importance of making informed financial decisions, and we’re eager to see how they contribute to the success of their local economy,” shared CEO of JA, Allison Kierce.
