Junior Achievement's purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

What: Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington
When: Established in 1950 in Portland
Where: Serving students in 23 counties across Oregon and SW Washington

Mission: To empower young people to own their economic success

Three Pillars: Work Readiness, Entrepreneurship and Financial literacy

Our Vision

Junior Achievement maintains an active vision, front and center, on how we can have a positive impact on the lives of more students - guided by our core values:

• Belief in the boundless potential of young people
• Commitment to the principles of market-based economics and entrepreneurship
• Passion for what we do and honesty, integrity, and excellence in how we do it
• Respect for the talents, creativity, perspectives, and backgrounds of all individuals
• Belief in the power of partnership and collaboration
• Conviction in the educational and motivational impact of relevant, hands-on learning

Who we are:

Since 1950, Junior Achievement of Oregon and SW Washington (JA) has been empowering the futures of local students by giving them the knowledge and skills they need to manage their money, plan for their futures, and make smart academic, career and economic choices. Delivered by business and community volunteers, our hands-on, age-appropriate programs focus on three key areas: work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy.

Junior Achievement’s kindergarten through grade 12 programs ignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century. Our programs help students connect what they learn in the classroom to the real world, and demonstrate how learning correlates to earning – knowledge critical to empowering today’s students to be successful, contributing members of society in the future.

We are a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization wholly dependent on the financial and volunteer support of individuals, foundations and businesses. More than 4,500 volunteers, 44 board members, a staff of 16 and a budget of $2.1 million help to create relevant JA experiences for youth.

We have five offices – Portland, where our JA BizTown® facility is located, Central Oregon - Bend, Western Oregon - Eugene and Southern Oregon - Medford and Klamath Falls, serving students across Oregon and SW Washington. We are an affiliate of Junior Achievement USA, a national leader for 100 years in preparing young people for their economic futures.

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