Junior Achievement of San Diego County

Junior Achievement of San Diego County (JA) joined Live Well San Diego as a recognized partner on April 27, 2017. Since 1950, Junior Achievement of San Diego County has provided life-changing programs to nearly 855,000 youth—in the classroom and after school—to foster an understanding of how the “real world” works. To ensure youth are prepared for their future, JA teaches them how to get a job, start a business and how to manage money. During the 2015/2016-school year, JA of San Diego served more than 61,800 students, K-12, including 15,686 5^th graders at the popular McGrath Family JA BizTown. With the launch of Mission Fed JA Finance Park, JA’s goal is to serve nearly 75,000 youth from 36 school districts during the 2016/2017-calendar school year.

JA’s mission is to empower young people to own their economic success. The organization’s K-12 curriculum focuses on three main pillars: Work Readiness, Financial Literacy, and Entrepreneurship. JA programs reach every ethnic and economic demographic. Of all students served in the County of San Diego, over 50% are from schools with a high Free and Reduced Lunch Program (FRL) rate. This program provides free lunches to youth from low-income families throughout the region. Participating in a JA program is a major highlight each academic year for students and community partners alike. More than 5,600 individuals volunteer annually, including 48 board members, to keep the JA experience relevant for youth. JA looks forward to continuing to integrate Live Well San Diego principles into JA efforts to support the San Diego community.