Junior Achievement (JA) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing youth to succeed in the global economy. In everything JA does, from raising funds to recruiting volunteers and implementing programs, the organization remains focused on the goal to impact more young people throughout San Diego County. JA works in partnership with schools and businesses to improve student knowledge in the areas of financial literacy, work-readiness and entrepreneurship.

JA uses experiential, hands-on programs to help students, Kindergarten through 12th grade, understand and master the knowledge and skills they'll need as adults. They rely on generous community volunteers to teach these fun, interactive lessons about business and to help students understand how important a complete education is to their future success.

Junior Achievement seeks to ensure communities are thriving by providing the youth with JA programs each year that teach them the importance of managing their finances and positively contributing to their local economies.  All programs correlate to state standards in social studies, English, and mathematics, and to Common CoreState Standards.

"The Junior Achievement program offers them a peek into what the world has to offer them, said Carol LaBreche McKane, Principal of Maryland Elementary in Vista. “We want our students to know that what they do in life matters- they can make an impact.”

Over 80,000 students were provided with JA programs throughout San Diego County during the 2016-2017 school year. More than 21,000 students participated and over 2,000 volunteers volunteered in classrooms throughout North County. North County school districts who participated in programs this year included Escondido Union, Poway Unified, Ramona Unified, Fallbrook Union Elementary, San Marcos Unified, Carlsbad Unified, Encinitas Union, Oceanside Unified, San Dieguito Union High School, Vista Unified, Cardiff and Del Mar Union.