Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes

Junior Achievement of the Michigan Great Lakes is a volunteer-driven organization with a mission to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Operating in Grand Rapids and supporting West Michigan since 1955, JAMGL has developed a long history of providing JA Learning Experiences to local schools, educators and youth that positively impact their financial literacy, career readiness and entrepreneurship skills. These programs are designed to be led by local volunteers who work in businesses, industries and organizations that operate within students' communities. Traditional JA Learning Experiences places volunteers in local classrooms, where they will go through multiple sessions that incorporate various activities that build students' essential soft skills while teaching lessons that are appropriate and compatible with their curriculum. JAMGL also hosts three new learning labs in its office at its Huizenga Family JA Free Enterprise Center in Grand Rapids, Michigan: JA BizTown (for 4th-6th graders), JA Finance Park (for 8th-12th graders) and the JA Entrepreneurship Incubators (for High School students). JA BizTown provides students with an early interactive simulation where they will run their own businesses and town for a day, while JA Finance Park allows students to look into and get hands-on with their potential future careers by providing a safe and supportive environment to explore and create functional and healthy budgets based on the careers and living situations they're interested in. The JA Entrepreneurship Incubator operates for students interested in creating a company and gives them support, direction, and resources as they build up a real business.

JAMGL strongly believes in the impact that is made when the community connects with its youth to support their education and commits itself to fostering educational opportunities that help local educators with resources and materials that generate a knowledgeable, happier and more confident youth that are equipped to pursue their future dreams.