Junior Achievement of North Florida has opportunities for businesses to sponsor and participate in JA Inspire

Junior Achievement of North Florida is looking for businesses to join them for this year’s JA Inspire program which will be taught to all eighth-grade students in Duval County Public Schools. Businesses can sign up to sponsor and participate in the virtual career exploration program which introduces students to career opportunities through classroom lessons followed by a virtual career fair.

JA Inspire is the first step in Duval County Public Schools’ new Duval Ready program. JA Inspire was launched as a pilot program in January of 2021 and expanded to include all eighth-grade students in Duval County Public Schools in the fall of last year. The program for this school year has been enhanced to meet a state mandate that requires schools to provide career exploration and work readiness programs to middle school students.

“Our community partners will be helping to educate these eighth-grade students about the different career paths available that align with each student’s interests and skills while helping teachers meet the mandate requirements that help prepare these youth for the future,” said Shannon Italia, president of JA of North Florida. “Last year, we had more than 55 companies that participated in the program and helped connect students to the opportunities available to them. Our program allows these young people to interact with adults and companies so they can explore a variety of potential careers. It also helps to put them on the education path to their goals before they begin their high school coursework.”

JA Inspire’s curriculum has been revised to lead the students to specific lessons that fulfill the state’s mandate to provide a way for students to find a career that will suit their talents and values. The students will be exposed to careers in categories including arts and creative; business administration, finance and marketing; education and student resources; health and biomedical; human services, hospitality, tourism, and sports; law, government, public safety, corrections, and security; STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics); and transportation, logistics, construction, and manufacturing.

The students will participate in five in-class JA Inspire lessons followed by a virtual career expo. The virtual career fair experience has also been improved with updated visuals to provide a more modern feel and gamification and a scavenger hunt have been added to drive students to important content. Students will enter the virtual convention center into a virtual lobby where there will be an information center and an auditorium where they can participate in webinars along with other students. They will also be able to visit company booths with pamphlets, videos and other resources developed by the industry leaders.

Companies interested in sponsoring and participating in JA Inspire can contact Tiffany Guthrie at 904-398-9944 ext.230 or tiffany@janfl.org. More information can be found at https://secure.qgiv.com/for/jinsp2/event/851028/.

Mercedes Benz USA will be this year’s impact sponsor and CSX will be one of the auditorium sponsors. Opportunities are still available for additional auditorium sponsors, as well as at the exhibit hall, premier booth, career starter and basic booth levels.

About Junior Achievement of North Florida

We envision a world where young people have the skillset and mindset to build thriving communities. Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to educating students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs. Our volunteers, educators and supporters inspire and prepare students to succeed through learning experiences that focus on three sets of critical life skills that are not always taught in schools. Since 1963, Junior Achievement of North Florida has been delivering JA learning experiences that help young people reach their potential. To learn more about Junior Achievement of North Florida, visit www.janfl.org.