April 2023
Save the Date - 2023 Washington Business Hall of Fame
The date has been set for this year’s Washington Business Hall of Fame! Presented by PwC, the 2023 Hall of Fame gala will be held on December 5th at The Anthem in Washington, DC, where we anticipate welcoming more than 800 business and community leaders from across our region to celebrate the newest Hall of Fame Laureates. Learn more and get involved here: https://washingtonbusinesshalloffame.org/.
Registration is Now Open - 2023 JA Entrepreneurship Summit
Registration is now open for the 2023 JA Entrepreneurship Summit! Join us for an intensive “startup boot camp” where high school students are challenged to design ready-to-launch, socially-conscious businesses. Over the course of five days, students brainstorm and collaborate with peers, access mini-seminars and workshops, and learn from business leaders and trained volunteer mentors. By participating, students develop the technical and soft skills needed to become successful entrepreneurs and also meet the demands of a rapidly changing economy in a variety of professions and careers. The experience culminates in a pitch presentation to a panel of esteemed business leaders.

Summit Info
  • Dates: July 24th - 28th
  • Applications close: Friday, June 30th
  • Tuition assistance is available
  • Open to rising 9th-12th grade students in the Greater Washington region

For any questions please contact Jamil Wells | jamil.wells@ja.org.
Surrattsville High School 3DE Students Competed in Arby's 2023 National Case Competition
JA of Greater Washington is proud to announce that four of our 3DE students from Surrattsville High School (Clinton, MD) were selected as one of the top four teams in the nation to compete in Arby's National Case Competition. The Arby’s Case Competition, representing the best of the best amongst 3DE students, challenged high school students to develop business solutions to better meet the needs and interests of young adults within the ages of 13-17. Students focused on cultural agility as they worked to inform the customer experience and used original survey data to drive their decision-making. 

The Surrattsville High School 9th grade team; Astrid, Esther, Anne, and Naishon aka "The Outdoor Thinkers" presented a response to the Case Challenge Question: “What modifications, or upgrades, to the customer experience should Arby’s consider, to appeal to a new target market of 13- to 17-year-olds? ” Their presentation provided insightful facts and creative ideas that impressed everyone including Arby's executives. Although "The Outdoor Thinkers" did not take home the trophy, we are so proud of the team for their hard work and exemplary display of the 3DE ideals. Check out how their classmates at Surrattsville cheered them on!!

Congratulations to all teams for making it to the final competition! Watch the Arby's National Case Competition here.
JA Celebrates Financial Literacy Month and Volunteer Appreciation Month: Learn About the Importance of 'The Other Literacy' and How To Get Involved
April marked both Financial Literacy Month and National Volunteer Month - two milestones that are incredibly important to Junior Achievement. Here's why:

At JA, we view financial literacy as "the other literacy." Just like reading or writing, we all deal with money on a daily basis. Yet too often, financial literacy programs consist only of a one-semester elective course in middle or high school that skims the surface of basic concepts. We think differently. At JA, we believe in taking students through a financial literacy pathway where our programs are designed to engage all students on the subject. JA Finance Park, 3DE, JA Entrepreneurship Summit, and JA Company Program give students the tools to increase their chances of achieving economic security as adults.

But we can't do this work alone. Reaching over 51,000 students in the Greater Washington area takes a village, and we are grateful for our volunteers who are committed to inspiring and preparing our youth to succeed in a global economy. During National Volunteer Appreciation Month, we celebrated our volunteers by sharing their experience of working with JA students. You can find their interviews on our social media channels posted throughout the month. Thank you to all #JAvolunteers for all you do!

If you are interested in becoming a JA volunteer please visit www.myja.org/volunteer and sign up for any of our upcoming opportunities.
Q&A Chat with #JAGWvolunteer - Ariel

JA: What inspired you to become a JA volunteer?
Ariel: I was inspired by my friends who have volunteered in the past. After I volunteered I really enjoyed working with the students and after seeing them engaged in the simulation it really inspired me to keep signing up.

JA: Can you share a moment that stands out while volunteering?
Ariel: While assigned at a storefront, I noticed the students wanting to spend more money on clothes vs. kids, transportation, and gas. I had to sit down with them and discuss the importance of prioritizing responsibilities. Read full interview here.