Junior Achievement of Central Texas Mission Statement:
Junior Achievement of Central Texas exists to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

Activities and Services:
Founded in 1971, Junior Achievement of Central Texas has been changing the lives of Central Texas students for over 35 years. JA Central Texas educates and inspires kindergarten through 12th grade students to value free enterprise, business and economics in order to improve the quality of their lives. Through programs that create dynamic interactions between volunteers and students, JA Central Texas currently provides over 14,000 local students with quality financial literacy programs.

Junior Achievement’s interactive programs are age-appropriate and can be easily integrated into existing school curricula. Taught by volunteers from the business community, some of the topics covered in JA lessons include resume writing and interviewing skills, career choices, financial literacy, basic economic concepts, and the importance of education. Not only do JA’s committed volunteers bring the free enterprise system to life in the classroom; they also serve as positive role models for the students they interact with. Junior Achievement programs are the bridge which connects classroom drills and workplace skills.

Volunteer Opportunities:
Volunteers, primarily from the business community, provide five weekly one-hour visits at the elementary level, six to eight one-hour visits at the middle school level, or eight to ten weeks at the high school level. Junior Achievement of Central Texas offers programs in to schools in several counties in Central Texas, enabling volunteers to teach at a school convenient to their home or place of employment.

JA volunteers select the grade level and activities that they feel most comfortable with and are fully trained by a JA staff member before entering the classroom. No teaching experience is required! Junior Achievement staff members fully prepare all volunteers before entering the classroom. Additionally, all of Junior Achievement’s lesson plans are scripted and easy to follow. Simply sharing your experiences in the working world is the key to success.

Why delay in making a difference? Please contact the Junior Achievement of Central Texas office today to begin your involvement. Call Christine Kempff at 512-499-8025 or email ckempff@jacentex.org for more information.

— Hawk Mendenhall