Chicago non-profit

Junior Achievement (JA) is America’s largest and fastest growing non-profit organization dedicated to economic education and entrepreneurship. JA inspires and prepares young people to succeed in a global economy - through use of sequential and integrated kindergarten through grade 12 programs. In partnership with business and educators, JA brings the real world to students, opening their minds to their potential. The business, economics, and life-skill focused programs help students understand the relationship between what they learn in school and their successful participation in our economy. JA’s curriculum is taught by classroom volunteers recruited from leading corporate and community organizations, who enhance the lessons with their real-life experiences and professional expertise. These passionate volunteers, investors, educators, and local leaders are individuals who care enough to make a difference in a child’s life through enrichment with the JA experience. In addition, we provide free after-school materials to local organizations. These fun, hands-on materials are easily tought by the organization's staff. Through our business, economic, and entrepreneurial educational programs, we inspire our youth to achieve, involve volunteers in meaningful activities, and invest in the future of the children in our community. Overall, during the 2009-2010 school year, JA of Chicago reached 411,912 students of all ages, races, ethnic backgrounds and physical capabilities, including disadvantaged and troubled youth in twelve Chicago-area and northwestern Indiana counties