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Exclusive to high school economics and personal finance classes and young adult groups across Central Virginia
Curriculum + Site Visit
Curriculum + Site Visit
JA Finance Park is Junior Achievement’s flagship program for personal financial planning and career exploration exclusive to economics and personal finance students. This teacher-led classroom curriculum culminates with a visit to JA Finance Park at Libbie Mill Library, where students engage with volunteers and put into practice what they’ve learned by developing a personal budget. An advanced curriculum gives high school students a more personal focus and aligns with state and W!SE standards.
Following participation in the program, students will be able to:
● Utilize the 16 career clusters to identify personal interests, skills, work preferences, and values.
● Evaluate the time commitments, costs, and benefits of post-secondary education.
● Explain the difference between gross pay and net pay, and the impact of taxes and other deductions.
● Explain the process for making responsible financial decisions.
● Identify the components of a successful budget and why it is helpful.
● Analyze different insurance policies.
● Discuss different types of investments.
● Create a successful budget using hypothetical life situations.
JA Finance Park consists of at least eight, teacher-led sessions in the classroom and a three- to four-hour class site visit to an offsite simulation facility. During the budgeting simulation, students will choose their career path; research different budget line items; and budget, shop, and pay for a month's bills for their household as a young adult. Then they do it all again as a working adult with the chance to expand their family to include a spouse, child, and/or a pet. Students will practice skills they learned in the classroom and gain real-life context through the stories their volunteers share. Students also get to research their career interests and consider the budget of the lifestyle they want in our JA Career Center.
Requesting JA Finance Park
Requesting JA Finance Park
Team Lead, please submit a request form on behalf of your entire EPF team (one form per school).
This program costs $5 per student in the classroom. Most districts cover this centrally, but if yours does not, and the cost becomes prohibitive, contact Caresse (cwilliams@jatoday.org).
Please reference the calendar below for available dates. Blank dates are available. We reserve selections on a first-come, first-served basis.
Requested JA Finance Park visit dates should be a minimum of six weeks out from your submission date.
You may request up to four days for your school. To approximate the maximum 100 students onsite each day, plan about 4-5 sections or about 120 students per day.
Once requested, JA staff will be in touch about a training.
Please submit your request for this school year ASAP. The calendar is filling up quickly.
Planning for your site visit:
JA asks that families of students in experiential programs sign a photo release. Please plan on distributing the JA photo release with field trip forms and returning hard copies to JA staff at your visit. Yearly forms through school districts do not cover JA learning experiences, so it is important we receive JA student photo releases.
Your site visit will incorporate a brief break for lunch/snack. Please make sure students have this with them. JA does not provide lunch.
Learning from the Best
Learning from the Best
Volunteers make our programs thrive. Supporting a small group of students throughout the day, volunteers provide valuable insight and real-life context to "being an adult."
Making Ends Meet
Making Ends Meet
Students work together to balance their budgets and buy everything they need for the month. Yes, you have to buy food for the whole family.
Planning for the Future
Planning for the Future
Visiting the JA Career Center, students investigate their interests and learn more about the skills necessary for success in their desired careers.
We can't wait to share the day with you and your students!
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