Calling all entrepreneurs: it's the JA Company Program! | | |
Dear readers,
April is Financial Literacy Month, and here at JA Miami it’s all that, plus entrepreneurship. The JA Company Program is in full swing, empowering students to fill a need or solve a problem, teaching them the practical skills required to conceptualize, capitalize, and manage their own business venture. Teaching students how to start and run their own businesses is a critical part of teaching them about money, and we’ve been working hard at it all semester through the JA Company Program.
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At the Felix Varela Senior High Market Fair, students presented their
Company Program wares, including a live slime-making demo!
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This is one of our signature programs, and it’s our biggest year ever! We have 1,627 students, 60 student-led companies, and 15 schools enrolled for this year. We’ve seen everything from slime to handmade jewelry, aluminum art to custom 3D printing. If you ask me why I love my job, well, I just think of the creativity, heart, and business smarts that our students put into each and every project.
And now, it’s time to hear from our students at the 3rd Annual JA Company Program Competition, where our top-ranked teams will pitch their ideas to…you, our business community! Our local entrepreneurial leaders will judge the top projects and their pitches, and pick a few winners that will hopefully go on to compete at the national level. Want to be part of this panel? Let me know!
We are always looking to better expand this program and connect it to local founders. If that’s you, and you’d like to support these future founder-Americans, there will be ample opportunities for next year to sponsor, partner, or mentor a class. Please reach out and we’ll get you set up.
With gratitude,
| | President and CEO, Junior Achievement of Greater Miami | | At EWF Stirrup Career Day, students dressed for the jobs they wanted: literally! Our kindergarteners came as astronauts, doctors, firefighters, and even a farmer, ready to learn about all of the careers open to them through our career readiness curriculum. | |
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JA Rising Women: We’re planning an exciting new program on May 2025. This is a unique half-day event empowering Miami’s middle- and high-school girls, along with your organization’s women leaders. We’ll pair 50 star students with 50 high-level professional women for 1:1 mentorship, guidance, and networking. We’ll be covering issues that will give them the tools to get through their days by covering personal budgeting, confidence building, how to deal with academic stress and networking. Is there a woman at your organization who would be a great speaker or mentor, or does this align with your sponsorship priorities? If so, reach out to JAevents@jamiami.org.
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Our 32nd Annual Golf, Tennis, and Pickleball Invitational & After-Party Fiesta is back on May 5th! Although our Golf portion is sold out, we still have openings for tennis and pickleball. We’ve also added a few new twists this year, like “Sponsor-A-Student” ad in our new printed Program Book! Sponsors, partners, players, and friends of JA Miami will all be able to take out ad space in a printed program that will go to all of our 150+ attendees. Your ad will be seen by potential clients, customers, and anyone else you’d like to connect with – an easy win! Click here for rates, specs, and deadlines.
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And since we're on the topic of the Invitational — let's hear it for our sponsors to date! Want to get on board? Email JAevents@jamiami.org!
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Volunteer Appreciation Month:
all eyes on the Student-Managed Investment Fund (SMIF) program 😍
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Volunteer Sean Buechele with his class of future investors at Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High.
“I've always believed students should learn about the financial markets,
and the SMIF program has allowed me to put that belief into practice
through a real hands-on learning experience.”- Sean Buechele
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The JA Student-Managed Investment Fund (JA SMIF) program offers students the opportunity to analyze a public company and make investment recommendations on whether to purchase stock/equity/ownership in said company. Volunteers who work in the investing arena advise students and provide hands-on guidance and support.
And since it's Volunteer Appreciation Month! On social media, we'll be running some amazing testimonials from our fantastic SMIF instructors. And of course, we're always looking for more! If you're a retired entrepreneur who wants to help guide the next generation of founders, dreamers, and builders, please consider joining us as a mentor. Click here to learn more.
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Our Pro Sports panel was a real sweep!
"The Business of Soccer"
| | Our career readiness event at the Pulisic Stomping Grounds in Homestead was a real sweep! Students from Palm Glades Preparatory Academy and Miami Edison Senior High heard from pros about the ins and outs of a career in sports, and got to do soccer drills with professional players. Here, the panel schools our student-players about their own career journeys featuring Lawrence CEO of Street Soccer and special shout out to Venanzio Ciampa, a true JA Champion. | | |
Here at JA Miami, it’s our mission to teach kids about money – how to earn it, save it, spend it, and share it. We rely on our Greater Miami community for volunteering, funding, and to invite us into their classrooms. If you'd like to learn more or set up a meeting to speak directly with our Education or Development departments, please reach out here and we'd be thrilled to set that up!
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