Junior Achievement Of Southern Massachusetts Inc.

Through a dedicated volunteer network, Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12 which focus on three key content areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.  Headquartered in New Bedford, JASM serves students throughout the greater North Attleboro, Fall River, New Bedford, Taunton and Wareham school districts. In the 2012-2013 school year, JASM participated in 212 classes- impacting nearly 4,500 students.

The programs offered by Junior Achievement are designed to give young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future and make smart academic and economic choices. JA's exciting, hands-on lessons are taught by volunteers from the community including: business people, college students, parents and retirees. By sharing their success and real-world experiences, volunteers directly impact local kids by inspiring them to reach their full potential.  Volunteers become role models who bridge the gap between what students learn in school and what they can expect in the real world of work. 

Junior Achievement is the nation's largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future and make smart academic and economic choices.  Founded in Springfield, MA in 1919 by Theodore Vail, President of American Telephone & Telegraph; Horace Moses, President of Strathmore Paper Co. and Senator Murray Crane of Massachusetts, Junior Achievement began as a collection of small after-school business clubs for older students. In 1975 JA expanded to include in-school programs and over the past 30 years had developed new and innovative in-school and after-school programs for students from kindergarten to 12th grade.  Locally, JA chapters in Massachusetts were incorporated in New Bedford in 1948, Fall River in 1976 and Attleboro in 1977 and joined by 1999 to create Junior Achievement of Southern Massachusetts.