Updates

Students recognized for their innovative spirit, leadership and community involvement.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts held its 18 Under 18 recognition event for high-achieving youth scholars.

JA’s new initiative, called 18 Under 18, will recognize young leaders from across the region in both middle and high school.

April is Financial Literacy Month.

Jennifer Connolly was featured in this Bankrate article.

Taking home the top prize this year was the Raiders team from Hampshire Regional High School.

Support Junior Achievement by voting in the Florence Bank Customers’ Choice Community Grants Program to help them win part of a $100,000 grant.

It is hard to believe but it is already time for kids to head back to school. Is your child ready for the big day? We have nine tips that can help you get yourself and your child prepared for the school year.

SPRINGFIELD-For more than 100 years, students have been inspired and empowered through Junior Achievement programs, and local teachers are discovering virtual programs in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that can also enhance their classroom offerings.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts is broadening its programs to include virtual program delivery in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 22nd Annual Golf Tournament for Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts will look a little different this year to keep everyone safe. As Jennifer Connolly explains, these new social distancing measures will help keep golfers safe while enjoying the fundraising event.

Junior Achievement of Western Mass. will hold their golf tournament! With Jennifer Connolly.

Struggling to help your kids continue learning while schools are closed? Here are online educational resources to help to lighten the load.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts played host Thursday to the largest single-day student stock market competition in North America.

Every day, our programs and events all teach workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on learning—all of which will give students the confidence and skills they need to succeed.

A non-profit organization is celebrating its 100th year at The Big E.

It’s Junior Achievement Day at the Big E Saturday in honor of JA’s 100th anniversary.

Mass Appeal’s final live broadcast from The Big E, filled with adorable farm animals and more fun. Some local organizations are celebrating this weekend. Junior Achievement turns 100. The nation-wide organization started right on The Big E fairgrounds.

DALTON—A century ago, Sen. Winthrop Murray Crane joined with two other prominent business leaders to create an organization that would help prepare young people for careers in an industrialized society.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM), which provides workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy programs to K–12 youth, recently received a $5,000 grant from the People’s United Community Foundation to support its Summer BEE (Business and Entrepreneurial Exploration) program for middle and high school students.

Three area high school students will bring their pet grooming business to the Junior Achievement National Student Leadership Summit in Washington this weekend.

Junior Achievement of Western Mass. staged the inaugural JA Inspire program at the MassMutual Center late last month.

More than 500 local middle and high school students in Springfield had a chance to explore possible career options Tuesday through the Junior Achievement career fair.

Springfield—Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts (JAWM), now celebrating its centennial anniversary, is proud to announce that Aieshya Jackson has joined their board of directors.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts will host the JA Inspire Career Exploration Fair on Tuesday, May 28 from 8 a.m. to noon at the MassMutual Center.

Junior Achievement has been empowering youth for 100 years now. Jennifer Connolly talks about the big celebration planned with a fun Great Gatsby theme.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts received the 2018 Platinum Seal of Transparency on GuideStar.

Read about our Celeb Bartender Event, Anniversary Gala, Annual Golf Tournament, Summer JA INSPIRE, BEE Program volunteer opportunities and more.

Once a year, much hullabaloo is made of the unveiling of MCAS results statewide, and school districts in Hampshire County have a right to be proud of the way many of their students perform on the standardized test each year.

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PITTSFIELD—The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, known locally as Guardian Berkshire Life, has awarded grants totaling $111,000 to 13 local non-profit organizations in support of programs focusing primarily on low-income and low-asset Berkshire County families and individuals.

Radio Show #154 – Brianna Curran, Wells Fargo and Junior Achievement of Western Mass.

Teen Reality Fair at NHS needs volunteers
NORTHAMPTON—Teens will get a chance to learn about money-management skills through role-playing at a Teen Reality Fair scheduled for Northampton High School next week.

WESTFIELD—Volunteers are currently being recruited for a morning program on May 1 that will provide a reality check for teens from Gateway Regional High School and Saint Mary High School.

Recognizing the importance of inspiring young people to pursue their professional dreams, College of Our Lady of the Elms has announced that it will work with Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts to award a scholarship of $2,500 to the winner of the fourth annual JA EnTEENpreneur Challenge in March 2018.

Today, People’s United Community Foundation, the charitable arm of People’s United Bank, N.A. (NASDAQ: PBCT), announced it has awarded Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts a grant of $28,450 as part of a national grant of $142,250 to Junior Achievement USA.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts announced today that it received a $10,000 grant from Santander Bank to bring financial literacy programs to over 200 students in Greater Springfield, Massachusetts. The programs will teach students concepts related to budgeting, saving, and money management with the intent of promoting the development of good financial habits. The partnership includes the involvement of volunteers from Santander Bank to help deliver the programs to students.

On Friday, June 8, over 130 golfers will turn out for Junior Achievement’s 20th Annual Golf Tournament and Crumpin’ Fox in Bernardston, MA. to support JA programs in Western Massachusetts. Each year local businesses generously participate in the event to raise money to support JA programs for students in grades K-12 in Western MA. The event traditionally raises funds to provide programming for over 1500 students.

Jessica Szafarski, is new to Vermont and a business teacher at Missisquoi Valley Union High School in Swanton. As a teacher in Florida, Jessica partnered with Junior Achievement to bring JA’s financial literacy, entrepreneurial and work readiness programs to her students.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts, a local non-profit organization that provides financial literacy, entrepreneurship and career readiness education, announced today it was awarded a $7,500 grant from Wells Fargo. Funding from Wells Fargo will support Pathways to 21st Century Skills Project to provide students with the tools to develop the 21st century skills needed to become highly skilled, autonomous employees.

Photos of Junior Achievement of Western MA’s Celebrity Bartender Fundraiser held at Plan B Burger in Downtown Springfield on February 27. All the tips from the bartenders will go to Junior Achievement for the local youth K-12

People’s United Community Foundation, the philanthropic arms of People’s United Bank, today announced that it awarded $336,807 to 50 Vermont non-profit organizations in 2017. Funding was distributed state-wide in alignment with the Foundations’ focus areas including: youth development, community and economic development, and affordable housing.

On Thursday, November 9, 2017 Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts turned the MassMutual Center’s Exhibition Hall into Wall Street for the largest one-day student stock market event in the United States and teams from Northampton High School took first and second place.

On Thursday, November 9, 2017 Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts turned the MassMutual Center’s Exhibition Hall into Wall Street for the largest one-day student stock market event in the United States!

Once again, Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts was fortunate to receive a grant from the UPS Foundation, to deliver JA Be Entrepreneurial programs at selected area schools including Putnam Vocational Technical Academy, Chicopee High, CHD, East Longmeadow High School and the JA BEE Summer Program.

Thousands of students in Springfield will be participating in Junior Achievement programs through the generosity of a $75,000 grant from the MassMutual Foundation.

Students in Greater Springfield will be participating in Junior Achievement programs through the generosity of a $25,000 grant from the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts received a $10,000 grant from the United Bank Foundation to bring financial literacy programs to students in East Longmeadow, Westfield, West Springfield, and Springfield.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts held it’s very first summer program from July 10th, 2017 – August 11th, 2017. This summer program was developed to help prevent summer learning loss in grades 6th – 12th. For five weeks, students participated in programs such as JA Be Entrepreneurial, JA It’s My Future, JA Personal Finance, JA Company Program, JA Titan, Stock Market, STEM activities and more!

Starting your own business can be a challenge for anyone, but success can be especially rewarding when the entrepreneurs are 11 and 12-years-old.

The pitches weren’t fastballs or sliders. They were sales pitches aimed at winning over investors. 

On March 3, 2017 JA of Western MA held its 3rd annual JA EnTEENpreneur Challenge hosted by the UMASS Springfield Center. Over 20 teams of future entrepreneurs will compete in a 2-minute Pitch Contest and Trade Fair Competition.

JA made me say I CAN. JA can make our youth say I CAN too! Watch this video & see why students, volunteers and teachers choose JA. JA made me say I CAN. JA can make our youth say I CAN too!

MassMutual has been recognized by Junior Achievement (JA) as a 2014-2015 U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award recipient. MassMutual is receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award at the bronze level for providing more than 5,000 volunteer hours during the year.

On April 6th Putnam Vocational Technical Academy hosted its first in-school Credit for Life Fair for nearly 175 freshmen who had completed JA Personal Finance this past fall. The fair was funded by a grant from the Treasurer’s Office of Economic Empowerment in accordance with the Financial Education Innovation Fund initiative.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts held its 2^nd annual JA EnTEENpreneur Challenge hosted by the UMASS Springfield Center in March with eighteen (18) teams of future entrepreneurs showcasing their products in a 90 second Pitch Contest and Trade Fair Competition.

Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts has been awarded one of Junior Achievement USA®’s (JA USA) highest honors: the Four Star Award.

On October 29th Wall Street came to Main Street Springfield for the 10th Annual JA Stock Market Competition held at the MassMutual Center.

Junior Achievement^® (JA) and Junior Achievement of Western Massachusetts in partnership with UPS Foundation recently completed a financial literacy and entrepreneurship program to benefit local high school students.