Students in Greater Springfield will be participating in Junior Achievement programs through the generosity of a $25,000 grant from the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation.

The goal of  the JA: A Valued Added Authentic Learning Project is to provide students with learning experiences that encourage them to become flexible and creatively adaptive; to develop their communications skills as well as their critical thinking, complex problem solving, judgment, and decision making skills, through hands-on individual and group activities that mirror real-world situations. Junior Achievement provides the opportunity for students to take charge of the learning experience, investing in it to gain the benefits. Junior Achievement provides engaged students with a “return on their investment.”

“With support from The Davis Foundation, JA of Western Massachusetts is able to bring this critical coursework to area students and help prepare our students for the reality of financial decision making,” said Jennifer Connolly, President of JA of Western Massachusetts.

Students will participate in JA programs such as the JA Stock Market Competition, The JA Company Program, JA Personal Finance, JA Finance Park Virtual, JA Economics for Success, It’s My Future, It’s My Business,  JA Global Marketplace, JA Job Shadow, JA High School Heroes, and the JA EnTEENpreneur Challenge.