JA Finance Park Program Overview
JA Finance Park is Junior Achievement’s capstone program for personal financial planning and career exploration.
At the culmination of this teacher-led program, students visit JA Finance Park, a realistic on-site or virtual community, to put into practice what they've learned by developing and committing to a personal budget.
"My students learned that life is complex and expensive and takes strategic planning! The program is very relevant. The real-life aspect of the program allows students to adapt to what their actual needs will be in the future." - Karrin, Battle Creek Middle School Teacher
Finance Park Entry Level Vs. Advanced
There are two distinct program options for Finance Park based on grade and experience level. Finance Park Entry Level is best suited for grades 7-9 while Finance Park Advanced is geared toward grades 10-12. Both Finance Park curriculums culminate in a highly-engaging experiential learning simulation. Junior Achievement programs are designed to correlate with state academic standards and help educators meet their classroom goals.
JA Finance Park Entry Level (Grades 7-9)
At JA Finance Park Entry Level students will identify personal interests, skills, work preferences, and values. They will learn to evaluate the risks and benefits of saving and investing. Engaging lessons take a deep dive into taxes to explain their purpose,and understand how they affect everyone. Students will also learn the advantages and disadvantages of using credit and debit cards. Finally, they will explore budgeting skills while creating a successful budget using hypothetical life situations.
JA Finance Park Advanced (Grades 10-12)
Through JA Finance Park Advanced students will engage in real-life situations and weigh financial consequences of life choices and decisions impacting long-term goals. They will choose a “journey into adulting,” where they select personas based on career and education pathways. Students will navigate financial decisions through various life stages, budgeting beyond 1 month and getting a 'full-picture' view of how finances affect all of life.
Simulation Options
To bring the curriculum to life, JA Finance Park culminates with an experiential learning opportunity. For both programming options, this can occur onsite at our Learning Labs in St. Paul. To help increase access to this transformational experience, we are excited to offer virtual options for both programs as well. As you register, you'll choose from the following options for the simulation experience:
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Learning Labs
The JA Finance Park onsite learning experience brings students to our Learning Labs in Saint Paul for a day-long visit where they are paired with volunteers and experience an engaging simulation.
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Virtual
Both JA Finance Park Entry Level and Advanced have virtual experiential learning simulation options, making these program more accessible to those that may not be able to travel to Saint Paul.
-JA Finance Park Entry Level Virtual Simulation Overview
-JA Finance Park Advanced Virtual Simulation Overview
Ready to bring JA Finance Park to your classroom? Sign up today!
If you have additional questions or want to explore the program further, please contact Jennifer Baldwin to learn more.
