Partnership with Junior Achievement (JA) going strong

     The 2025-26 school year marks year nine for the Junior Achievement (JA) Discovery Center at Gwinnett, which provides hands-on experiences in financial literacy, career readiness, and fostering the entrepreneurial spirit for 6th and 8th-grade students. The JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett annually serves 30,000 students through the JA BizTown and JA Finance Park simulations. A survey of 96% of teachers whose students attended the JA Discovery Center said they saw students effectively developing and integrating high-order skills, including creativity, critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and innovation. In addition, the JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett involved more than 2,900 community volunteers, of whom 99% said it was a “best-in-class experience and would recommend it to friends and colleagues.” Volunteers are critical to the Center’s operations. Those interested in volunteering at the JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett should email Tamara Andrews at tandrews@georgia.ja.org.

     3DE is a JA program that connects high school students to business leaders and entrepreneurs at Norcross High School, Parkview High School, and South Gwinnett High School. In the 2023-24 school year, 1,141 students participated in 3DE across the three high schools. 3DE challenges students to think critically and engage in their learning as they prepare for a successful future. 3DE students gain real-world experience through visits to community businesses, mentoring, networking with professionals, tackling dynamic case studies, and more. Students develop business skills and experience with large corporations through networking, resume workshops, presentations, and internships. Company partners include, but are not limited to, Truist, Arby’s, Delta Air Lines, Jackson Healthcare, The Home Depot, UPS, and SPANX.