Who is Junior Achievement?

Who is Junior Achievement?

 Founded in Massachusetts in 1919, Junior Achievement began as a collection of after school business clubs for high school students. In 1965, it was incorporated into the Cedar Rapids area, and soon evolved into more than just an after school program. By 2005, Junior Achievement of East Central Iowa and Junior Achievement of Black Hawk Land had merged to create Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa. This new integration resulted in program delivery to more students, expanded fundraising, board and staff development opportunities, and organizational growth.

What do they do?

Junior Achievement is the nation's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills needed to succeed in the economy, plan for a smart financial future, and make smart academic as well as economic choices. Junior Achievement helps young individuals feel a sense of purpose, relevance, and connection to the community through programs that teach work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.

How do they enhance our community?

Junior Achievement partners with 37 school districs to provide educational programs on three pillars which are vital to the community workforce: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. As the programs are aligned with current school curriculum, students can make connections between classroom learning and the real-world decisions.

Why is financial literacy important?

"Financial literacy is critical, not only for our students' futures, but also for our state's economic future. It is a topic that concerns both the education and business communities." -  Junior Achievement. 

Their programs provide students the opportunity to learn and develop skills needed to be successful in the business world.

Learn more about Junior Achievement's financial literacy programs.