Every Student Deserves an Opportunity-Filled Future

Each person’s future should be determined by choices, not chance. At Junior Achievement, we are committed to giving students opportunity-filled futures by helping them become confident, capable, competent, and connected to what the world has to offer.

Our Values

01.

Belief

In the boundless potential of young people.

02.

Seek Out

Various backgrounds, perspectives, and talents in our staff and volunteers, and boards to reflect the geographies and communities we serve.

03.

Nurture

The power of partnerships and collaboration.

04.

Approach

Our work with passion, honesty, integrity, and excellence.

05.

Teach

Principled market-based economics and entrepreneurship that build a more sustainable world.

06.

Advocate

For relevant hands-on learning.

Accelerating Economic Mobility

Junior Achievement’s learning experiences promote the transferable skills and competencies students need to take advantage of economic opportunity and achieve economic mobility. Our lessons use financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurial concepts to emphasize the importance of continuing education and training beyond high school, especially in high-growth, high-demand fields. At the same time, our experiential learning approach ensures students gain the critical and creative thinking, collaboration, communication, and technical literacy skills needed to become lifelong learners to navigate “what’s next” in our ever-changing world.

Empowering the Next Generation

Junior Achievement's proven lessons in financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship are shown to positively impact the lives of young people. These lessons align with national and state educational standards and are delivered to millions of students across the country with the help of our education partners and volunteers from the local community.

Research shows that JA Alumni are more likely to have a college degree, feel confident managing money, have career success, and have started a business as an adult.

Learn more about 2025 JA Alumni Report

Junior Achievement Facts

What is Junior Achievement?

Junior Achievement has over 100 local JA Areas across the nation, and together we are the nation's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA's programsin the core content areas of work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacyignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century.

Purpose

Junior Achievement's purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

Leadership

Ryan Osborn is the President of JA of Central Iowa. Mr. Kurt Gibson, Chief Executive Officer, Community State Bank, is the Chairperson of the JA Central Iowa Board of Directors. Mr. Arnold B. Evans, Co-Head of Emerging Middle Market JPMorgan Chase, is Chairman of the Junior Achievement USA Board of Directors. Jack Harris is the Chief Executive Officer and Tim Greinert is President of Junior Achievement. Junior Achievement USA board members represent a wide range of businesses and academic institutions around the world. In addition, approximately 4,300 board members lead JA Area Offices around the United States.

Proven Success

Junior Achievement is one of a few nonprofits to use independent, third-party evaluators to gauge the impact of its programs. Since 1993, independent evaluators have conducted studies on Junior Achievement's effectiveness. Findings prove that Junior Achievement has a positive impact in a number of critical areas.

Program Reach

In 2023-2024 JA of Central Iowa reached a total of 191 schools, 38,555 students, and a total of 441,062 program hours locally.
Nationally, Junior Achievement reaches more than 4.8 million students per year in 209,651classrooms and after-school locations. JA programs are taught by volunteers in inner cities, suburbs, and rural areas throughout the United States, by over 100 Area Offices in all 50 states.

A Brief History

Junior Achievement was founded in 1919 by Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone & Telegraph; Horace Moses, president of Strathmore Paper Co.; and Senator Murray Crane of Massachusetts. Its first program, JA Company Program®, was offered to high school students on an after-school basis. In 1975, the organization entered the classroom with the introduction of Project Business for the middle grades. Over the last 39 years, Junior Achievement has expanded its activities and broadened its scope to include in-school and after-school students.

Organizational Overview

JA of Central Iowa was founded in 1955.
Junior Achievement USA is headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and provides strategic direction, leadership, and support to over 100 JA Areas across the nation. Local volunteer boards of directors comprised of business, education, and civic leaders set the policy and direction for each local office.

Volunteers

Locally, JA of Central Iowa had 2,921 volunteers in 2023-2024.
Nationally, Junior Achievement's 237,680 classroom volunteers come from all walks of life, including: business people, college students, parents and retirees. These dedicated individuals are the backbone of our organization.