JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF NORTHEASTERN NEW YORK

MIDDLE GRADES PROGRAMS:JA JOB SHADOW-EVERY YEAR, BEGINNING ON FEBRUARY 2ND, MIDDLE GRADES AND HIGH SCHOOLS STUDENTS ACROSS AMERICA "SHADOW" A WORKPLACE MENTOR, OBSERVING A NORMAL DAY ON THE JOB. STUDENTS GET AN UP-CLOSE LOOK AT HOW THE SKILLS LEARNED IN SCHOOL RELATE TO THE WORKPLACE, CREATING THE LINK BETWEEN ACADEMICS AND CAREERS. FOR EMPLOYERS, JOB SHADOWING OFFERS BOTH AN INTRODUCTION TO THE WORKFORCE OF TOMORROW AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO HELP STUDENTS EXPLORE CAREER OPTIONS, WHILE SHARING WHAT IT TAKES TO ACHIEVE GOALS. JOB SHADOW DAY IS THE JOINT EFFORT OF A NATIONAL COALITION COMPRISED OF AMERICA'S PROMISE, THE ALLIANCE FOR YOUTH, THE NATIONAL SCHOOL-TO-WORK OFFICE, JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, AND THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES. JA GLOBAL MARKETPLACE-STUDENTS EXPERIENCE THE WORLDWIDE INTERDEPENDENCE OF PRODUCERS, CONSUMERS, AND THE GOLBAL WORKFORCE BY PLAYING THE ROLE OF BUSINESS OWNERS AND MANAGERS AT THE INTERNATIONAL FREETRADE MARKET. ACTIVITIES AND RESOURCES ARE ACCESSED THROUGH AN INNOVATIVE WEB-BASED PLATFORM RATHER THAN THE TRADITIONAL PAPER-BASED KIT.JA ECONOMICS FOR SUCCESS-THIS PROGRAM EXPLORES PERSONAL FINANCE AND STUDENTS' EDUCATION AND CAREER OPTIONS BASED ON THEIR SKILLS, INTERESTS, AND VALUES. JA IT'S MY BUSINESS-THROUGH SIX VOLUNTEER LED ACTIVITIES THIS PROGRAM EMPHASIZES ENTERPRENEURSHIP WHILE PROVIDING A STRONG FOCUS ON SOCIAL STUDIES, READING AND WRITING SKILLS. STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO USE CRITICAL THINKING TO LEARN ENTREPRENEURSHIP SKILLS THAT SUPPORT POSITIVE ATTITUDES AS THEY EXPLORE AND ENHANCE THEIR CAREER ASPIRATIONS. THIS CAN BE DONE AFTER SCHOOL OR IN-SCHOOL. THE VOLUNTEER LEADS SIX CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES. JA IT'S MY FUTURE-PROVIDES PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT PREPARING FOR THE WORKING WORLD WHILE STILL IN MIDDLE SCHOOL. FOLLOWING PARTICIPATION IN THE PROGRAM, STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO EXPLORE POTENTIAL CAREERS, DISCOVER HOW TO PLAN FOR A JOB, AND LEARN HOW TO KEEP IT. THEY WILL ALSO DEVELOP PERSONAL-BRANDING AND JOB-HUNTING TOOLS FOR EARNING A JOB. THIS YEAR THE NUMBER OF STUDENT PARTICIPANTS IN THE OTHER MIDDLE GRADES PROGRAMS TOTALED 519.

ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS:THE PURPOSE OF THIS PROGRAM IS TO SHOW K-6 GRADE STUDENTS THE RELEVANCE OF EDUCATION TO THE WORKPLACE. FOR EACH GRADE LEVEL, THERE IS A DIFFERENT THEME THAT FITS IN WITH THE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULUM AND TEACHES STUDENTS THE BASICS OF BUSINESS THROUGH FUN, ACTIVITY-ORIENTED LESSONS. VOLUNTEERS WORK WITH THE CLASSROOM TEACHER ONCE A WEEK FOR 5 WEEKS, WITH EACH ACTIVITY TAKING 30-45 MINUTES TO TEACH. CONCEPTS AND SKILLS TAUGHT AT EACH LEVEL BUILD ON THOSE TAUGHT IN THE PRECEDING GRADES: OURSELVES(K)-IS DESIGNED TO DEVELOP PERSONAL ECONOMIC CONCEPTS THROUGH STORYBOOK CHARACTERS IN READ-ALOUD STORIES AND HANDS-ON ACTIVITIES. OUR FAMILIES(1ST)-PROVIDES PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT FAMILY MEMBERS AND THEIR INTERDEPENDENCE. OUR COMMUNITY(2ND)-PROVIDES PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT BUSINESSES AND THE MANY OCCUPATIONS FOUND IN THOSE BUSINESSES IN A TYPICAL COMMUNITY. OUR CITY(3RD)-IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT BUSINESSES AND THE MAIN OCCUPATIONS FOUND IN THOSE BUSINESSES IN A TYPICAL CITY. OUR REGION(4TH)-PROVIDES PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT NATURAL, HUMAN AND CAPITAL RESOURCES FOUND IN REGIONS AND USED BY BUSINESSES TO PRODUCE GOODS AND SERVICES. OUR NATION(5TH)-IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE PRACTICAL INFORMATION ABOUT BUSINESS OPERATIONS AND ECONOMIC ISSUES IN THE UNITED STATES. JA MORE THAN MONEY-TEACHES STUDENTS IN GRADES 3-5 ABOUT EARNING, SHARING, SAVING AND SPENDING MONEY, AND BUSINESSES THEY CAN START OR JOBS THEY CAN PERFORM TO EARN MONEY. THIS YEAR THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS BENEFITING FROM ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PROGRAMS TOTALED 3,832.