Six local school systems partner to bring relevant, authentic and experiential learning to middle school students

Mike and Lynn Cottrell JA Discovery Center at North Georgia to Impact 15,000 Local Students

Atlanta, GA – The Mike and Lynn Cottrell JA Discovery Center at North Georgia is well underway and will begin serving students in Fall 2018.

It will be the third JA Discovery Center in Georgia, and will serve middle school students in the northern region of the state. The facility will be located on the new high school campus of the Alliance Academy for Innovation of Cumming – Forsyth, also opening in Fall 2018. The inclusion of the facility on this innovative campus will provide students continued exposure to their future possibilities.

“We are thrilled to be able to expand the impact of this relevant, authentic and experiential learning to more students across the state,” said Jack Harris, President and CEO, Junior Achievement of Georgia. “This facility creates an opportunity for us to enhance existing partnerships, and ignite new ones in a community that is engaged in deepening their students’ education experience,” said Harris.

The first hybrid facility in the state will combine both JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, experiential simulations that have impacted more than 160,000 middle school students in the last three years.

“Our students will have a chance to explore career opportunities that perhaps they have never considered before, and to learn entrepreneurial skills that will be very beneficial as they consider their career pathways and post-secondary areas of interest,” said Dr. Jeff Bearden, Superintendent, Forsyth County Schools. “In my 30 years in public education, I have never experienced a program and a curriculum that addresses financial literacy better than the JA Discovery Center concept.  We are so fortunate to afford our students this opportunity,” said Bearden.

Middle school students from Calhoun City Schools, Dawson County Schools, Forsyth County Schools, Gainesville City Schools, Hall County Schools and Lumpkin County Schools will all participate in in-class curriculum in preparation for their immersive experiences in JA BizTown and JA Finance Park.

JA BizTown creates an unmatched experience where students are able to interact within a simulated economy and take on the challenge of fueling a business. Here, students not only discover the intricacies of being a professional and member of the community, but also realize the abundance of opportunities available within their city.

JA Finance Park provides students the rare opportunity to experience their personal financial futures first-hand. Students participate in an immersive simulation that enables them to develop skills to successfully navigate today’s complex economic environment and discover how decisions today can impact tomorrow.

Will Schofield, Superintendent, Hall County Schools, shared similar excitement for the impact this facility will have on his students, and expressed how “fortunate the district is to have an opportunity like this for our middle school students.” 

The launch of this engaging facility would not be possible without the support of Mike and Lynn Cottrell, as well as partnerships with participating school systems, and investment from the following partners who will have storefronts in the new facility: ADP, Andean Chevrolet, Associated Credit Union, City of Cumming, Delta Air Lines, Elavon, Engineered Floors, Georgia Power, Georgia State University, Georgia United Credit Union, MarketSource, North Georgia Community Foundation, Northside Hospital, Publix Super Markets Charities, RaceTrac, United Way of Hall County, United Way of Forsyth County and Zaxby’s.

Why volunteer with JA of Georgia?

"I enjoy this opportunity to give back to the students in our city, and to develop their financial literacy and core business skills, which are needed to succeed in today's ever-changing world."

Ben Ansell, Senior Consultant, Deloitte

"My students see the value in the program, and realize their ability to serve our community without writing a check."

Leigh Keever, Professor, Chattahoochee Technical College

"I volunteer with JA of Georgia because it changes lives, plain and simple.

Patrick Ready, Senior Consultant, Deloitte

"Volunteering with JA of Georgia allows me to share my experiences with students in hopes of fostering their limitless potential."

Muriam Nagess, Volunteer Coordinator, Gwinnett County Government

"I see so much potential in every student that I work with, and I believe that everyone can do great things."

Bobby Nguyen, Junior, Georgia Gwinnett College

"While most adults deal with money every day, financial education is not something that is offered to most of our children. This is an opportunity for me to serve my community by helping young people learn skills that will be useful to them for the rest of their lives.

Crystal Grier, Administrative Assistant, Wells Fargo

"I believe this program provides an unmatched experience for students and future leaders. Over the years I have been able to share and gain so much knowledge."

Fred Brooks, Project Manager, Hewlett Packard Enterprise

"I enjoy helping children learn and prepare for their future. The most enjoyable part is seeing how excited and engaged the students are during their time at JA. That excitement and genuine interest they have while at JA keeps me coming back for more.

Dave Reese, Indirect Lending Officer, BrandAuto Finance President, BrandBank

Volunteer Appreciation Week

Volunteers are integral to our success at JA of Georgia. As we kickoff a week of celebrating and recognizing their impact on our organization, let's start with the basics. Where do our volunteers come from and how many of them are there?

As you can see, not only do we work with an incredible amount of volunteers, but we also work with a diversity of sources.

Volunteers who spend a day, and often numerous days throughout the year, with students at a JA Discovery Center are more than your average ‘feel-good’ volunteer. They coach groups of students through the simulations, but they don’t stop at just helping them check off their to-do lists. They give advice, help foster innovative thinking, and emphasize the importance of communication, collaboration and goal setting.

Throughout all of that, they share their own experiences. Things that worked for them, things that didn’t. Lessons they learned through their successes as well as failures, and wisdom they’ve received that has stood the test of time. It’s this personal connection that helps bring the experience to life for the students. They have the opportunity to hear from an adult other than a parent or teacher, often times about careers and situations they may have never
considered before now.

Over the next few days, we'll share stories and insights from our volunteers that demonstrate just how important, and rewarding, their impact is.