A volunteer talks with two Prince George’s County Public Schools eighth grade students from Kenmoor Middle School about applying for a home loan, the average cost of a down payment, and things to consider when choosing a home in the Lerner Housing storefront at JA Finance Park Prince George’s County.
Only two in five adults use a budget and one in three has some level of debt in collections. Junior Achievement is committed to empowering students with the tools to improve their circumstances and the vision to see what’s possible if they work hard and dream big.
Since 1919, JA has taught kids around the globe the language of success through its experiential programs taught by volunteer role models from the community. JA shows kids how money, careers, and business ownership work—positively changing attitudes and behaviors.
JA Finance Park Fairfax County was the region’s first financial literacy center, opening in 2010. JA Finance Park Prince George’s County opened in 2015 in Landover, Maryland. A third facility will open in Silver Spring, Maryland in 2018 and serve 12,000 Montgomery County Public Schools middle school students each year.
In metro Washington, Junior Achievement of Greater Washington served more than 65,000 kids last year through its classroom, workplace, and JA Finance Park® programs.
Every year, following 14 hours of in-classroom financial capability building blocks, 14,000 eighth grade students in Fairfax County and 9,000 eighth grade students in Prince George’s County leave behind their lives as youth and take on a career, salary, family, credit score, retirement savings, and debt. On tablet computers, led by volunteer role models, they make budgeting decisions like applying for a mortgage, buying a car, and balancing child care expenses.
Two students from D.C. Public Schools stop to adjust their monthly budget outside the JA Finance Park Fairfax County Transportation Storefront where they applied for a car loan and chose a vehicle.
A recent JA USA® Alumni survey revealed that former JA students have a household income 20 percent higher than their non-JA peers. Programs also inspire kids to understand the steps to be successful in life; JA alumni are 30 percent more likely to graduate college, 67 percent more likely to have an advanced degree, and 143 percent more likely to start a business than the national population.
Congratulations Junior Achievement®!