A Legacy of Inspiration
The JA Fellows' "legacy" experience empowers students to develop the skills and confidence to effectively compete in the global economy.
Since its inception in 1919, Junior
Achievement has provided students with
meaningful and relevant experiences to help
them succeed as adults in the world of work.
Over the years, JA has evolved and expanded
its suite of programs, but one has remained
constant—the JA Company Program®.
High school students in the JA Company
Program start, run and grow a real business
enterprise under the mentorship of a volunteer
from the local business community. Over the
last several years, Junior Achievement has
adapted the delivery and implementation of
the JA Company Program to meet the needs
of students.
These "legacy" experiences provide a
deeper and richer experience to students by
providing additional learning, networking and
internship opportunities. One such legacy
experience is JA Fellows. Created by Junior
Achievement of Georgia, it is designed to help
position high school students for success
after graduation.
JA Fellows learn core business and
interpersonal skills and have a variety of real world
experiences in which to hone them.
They can then vie for prestigious scholarships
and internships to make the connections
and gain the knowledge to effectively
compete in the global economy.
The students participate in a
series of JA programs which
focus on management,
financial literacy, ethics,
job shadowing and
identifying their vocation, in addition to the
entrepreneurship education provided in JA
Company Program. JA Fellows also have the
opportunity to speak and network at high profile JA events, and to job shadow at a
number of businesses.
The JA Company Program is also the focal
point of Junior Achievement's student events,
which now take place annually in each region
around the globe. These events take the "best
of the best" of JA student-run companies
and, in a competitive environment, give
students a glimpse of life in the real business
world. Students create an annual report,
pitch their company to a panel of judges and
participate in a trade fair in which they sell
their products.
Student-event participants also get the
chance to network and forge friendships that
can last a lifetime. By meeting and competing
with their peers from across their region, they
gain a better understanding of their role in the
global economy.
For nearly a century, Junior Achievement has
empowered generations of entrepreneurs with
the skills and confidence to see their dreams
realized. Looking forward, JA continues to
identify ways to best position future business
leaders for success.