Real-World Math and Money

Junior Achievement of Northern California (JA NorCal) delivers hands-on financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship education to over 40,000 young people annually, with a strong focus on low- to moderate-income students across the Bay Area. Their programming spans ages 5 to 25, helping students build the knowledge, skills, and confidence to navigate their academic and professional futures.

Junior Achievement's strategy centers on bringing real-world relevance into classrooms through experiential learning and corporate volunteer engagement. Volunteers bring lessons to life, sharing personal stories about student loans, career decisions, and budgeting. This “real-world” lens demystifies abstract financial concepts (like paying taxes and compound interest) and helps students visualize long-term impact of choices made early in life, such as saving for retirement or avoiding debt.

The organization’s flagship program for high school students, JA Finance Park, exemplifies this approach. Designed for high school students, with a focus on 9th and 10th graders at a pivotal point in their educational journey, the curriculum introduces foundational concepts in budgeting, saving, taxes, and career exploration — the latter offering a powerful look at how salaries vary and what it takes to support a household. The program culminates in an interactive simulation—either virtual or in-person—where students assume real-life personas and manage personal budgets. Through this immersive experience, students connect academic learning with practical application and leave with greater clarity about their future pathways.

JA NorCal is currently implementing JA Finance Park at Thurgood Marshall High School in San Francisco. With additional support, the program aims to expand to four additional high schools — Galileo, John O'Connell, June Jordan School for Equity, and Mission — by the 2026–27 school year, reaching up to 1,000 students. These schools serve student populations that have been historically underserved and face significant economic barriers, with many students expected to be the first in their families to attend college.

In addition to JA Finance Park, JA NorCal operates the JA Company Program, an award-winning entrepreneurship initiative in which high school students build, launch, and pitch their own businesses under the guidance of professional mentors. The program provides deep exposure to leadership, teamwork, and financial acumen, and consistently earns national recognition.

As California prepares to implement personal finance graduation requirements by 2027–28, JA NorCal stands ready to support schools with turnkey, standards-aligned curricula. Their long-standing presence, data-driven model, and alumni-powered leadership team position them as a trusted partner in preparing students for a lifetime of financial well-being and career success.

JA NorCal’s impact lies not only in the thousands of students served each year, but in the long-term outcomes achieved through sustained, hands-on programming. Over the past five years, JA NorCal has provided financial literacy education to nearly 25,000 high school students across Northern California.

At the heart of this impact is JA Finance Park, which has reached more than 7,400 students since launch. Students who participate in the in-person simulation report significant increases in financial confidence and decision-making skills: 91% say the experience helped them prepare for future budgeting challenges, and 93% say it helped them understand how a budget works. Post-program surveys consistently show that students walk away with stronger knowledge of financial literacy, more awareness of the consequences of their decisions, and a clearer vision of their future. Students are also learning to apply math in meaningful ways. As one teacher reported:

"JA Finance Park was the first time they got to experience why math matters. It was personal to them. The activities that had them calculating a percentage of their take-home pay, minus what they would pay in taxes, was the first time they connected both why it’s important to know how to calculate a number by a percentage and the impact of how taxes affect their family. JA’s Finance Park led to discussions about available jobs and possible careers, their associated income, and what level of education was necessary for each job. The lessons and experience empowered us to talk about all sorts of interesting careers, and my students got excited about what they can do now to study for and lay the groundwork to achieve those dreams.”

JA’s Company Program also produces meaningful change. Each year, approximately 300 high school students across the Bay Area build and launch real businesses, supported by volunteer mentors. Their ventures compete in a Shark Tank-style showcase and often receive national recognition. More importantly, students gain the skills, confidence, and leadership experience to pursue their goals.

Early financial literacy builds lifelong habits. A 2024 JA Alumni survey found that 89% of alumni said the program helped shape their belief in their ability to achieve their goals, and 86% credited it with influencing their education and career decisions. JA alumni are more likely than the general public to pursue higher education, save for retirement, and work in careers aligned with their passions.

JA NorCal’s impact isn’t just with high school students. Their elementary school programs also lay the groundwork for financial and economic understanding at an early age. By introducing young learners to essential concepts through hands-on activities, JA NorCal helps build a strong foundation that supports future learning in math, economics, and financial literacy.

Junior Achievement of Northern California

Model and Strategy

Impact

Leadership

Cristene Burr

Evita Anaya Bryden

Ruby Damian

Duane Wilson