“We are thrilled with the decisions of each of these Boards that will allow us to move into the CSRA with significant presence and impact,” said John Hancock, President and CEO, JA of Georgia. “We are thankful for the commitment of these two visionary superintendents and their boards, and we look forward to providing unmatched learning experiences that enable students to discover the possibilities that their futures can hold.”
With opening planned in the Fall of 2023, the JA Discovery Center will serve 15,000 middle school students annually in the Central Savannah River Area of the state. The center will provide students continued exposure to their future possibilities through two innovative programs:
JA BizTown creates an unmatched experience where sixth grade students interact within a simulated economy and take on the challenge of running a business. Students not only discover the intricacies of being a professional and a member of the community, but also realize the abundance of opportunities available within their home town.
JA Finance Park provides seventh or eighth grade students the rare opportunity to experience being an adult and providing for the needs of a household. Guided by an assigned ‘life situation,’ students participate in a simulation that enables them to develop skills to successfully navigate today’s complex economic environment and discover how decisions today can impact tomorrow.
“We are very excited to be able to offer our students a culminating experience that extends
this area of learning to the real world through partnerships and connections with our local communities,” said Dr. Steve Flynt, Superintendent, Columbia County School District.
Richmond County School System superintendent, Dr. Kenneth Bradshaw, noted, “The opportunity to expose our students to businesses and careers that are right here in our area is remarkable. Broadening their vision into what is possible will enable them to dream big and see the path to achieve those dreams.”
The construction of the center is possible through a joint partnership with JA, the Columbia County School District, and the Richmond County School System.
Currently, JA Discovery Centers serve more than 120,000 students a year across five locations - the JA Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center in Atlanta, the JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett, the Mike and Lynn Cottrell JA Discovery Center at North Georgia in Cumming, the JA Discovery Center of Greater Dalton, and the JA Colonial Group Discovery Center in Savannah. These five locations bring the total impact to more than 45% of middle school students in Georgia.
To find out more about JA Discovery Centers, visit Georgia.ja.org.
About Junior Achievement of Georgia
Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia is dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make educated academic and economic choices. JA learning solutions are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences to students from kindergarten through high school. JA of Georgia offers multiple programs, including in-class programs, 3DE by Junior Achievement, JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, all of which focus on entrepreneurship, personal financial literacy, and workforce readiness. For more information, visit georgia.ja.org.
Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia is dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make educated academic and economic choices. JA learning solutions are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences to students from kindergarten through high school. JA of Georgia offers multiple programs, including in-class programs, 3DE by Junior Achievement, JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, all of which focus on entrepreneurship, personal financial literacy, and workforce readiness. For more information, visit georgia.ja.org.