The YMCA of Metro Atlanta will open a storefront at the Junior Achievement (JA) Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center in Atlanta. The Y and JA held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Dec. 9 to celebrate the opening and the organizations’ partnership. As the largest childcare provider in the state of Georgia, the Y will have the opportunity to reach aspiring business leaders through the collaboration and showcase its Early Learning and After School programs within the storefront.
Earlier this year, the Y opened a storefront at the JA Discovery Center at Gwinnett. The Y is JA’s first nonprofit partner to open storefronts at the Junior Achievement Discovery Centers in Gwinnett and Atlanta. The Atlanta location serves students in Atlanta Public Schools, Fulton County Schools and DeKalb County Schools, and the Gwinnett location works with students in Gwinnett County Public Schools. Through both locations, the YMCA will help middle school students understand the responsibility of childcare and provide a glimpse into the realities of adulthood while offering an opportunity to navigate those complexities in an authentic, hands-on environment.
“We are committed to nurturing the potential of kids and inspiring our youth to continue developing their academic skills,” said Lauren Koontz, president and CEO of the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. “This partnership enables our organization to further our mission of strengthening the communities in which we serve.”
JA Discovery Centers blend key components of education to create state-of-the-art learning facilities where students apply concepts they learn in the classroom in a 360-degree experience. Students work alongside their peers and adult volunteers in JA BizTown® and JA Finance Park® as they develop a greater understanding of financial concepts, build 21st-century skills, and foster their entrepreneurial spirit.
JA BizTown creates an unmatched experience where 6th-grade 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 discover the abundance of opportunities available within their city.
JA Finance Park provides 7th or 8th-grade students the rare opportunity to experience their personal financial futures first-hand. Guided by an assigned ‘life situation,’ 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.
About the YMCA of Metro Atlanta
For more than 160 years the YMCA of Metro Atlanta has been impacting lives and strengthening communities. As Atlanta has grown, the YMCA has also evolved to meet the changing needs of our community. Well-thought-out planning, while engaging stakeholders at various levels, provides the backdrop for sustainable change and positive impact at the YMCA of Metro Atlanta. By providing impactful services and support networks, and building bridges between people from all backgrounds, the Y has maintained its relevance, helping to create stronger, more cohesive communities for all. https://www.ymcaatlanta.org/160.
About Junior Achievement of Georgia
Junior Achievement (JA) of Georgia is dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make educated academic and economic choices. JA’s learning solutions are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences to students from kindergarten through high school. JA of Georgia offers multiple programs, including in-class programs, JA BizTown, JA Finance Park and 3DE by Junior Achievement, all of which focus on entrepreneurship, personal financial literacy and workforce readiness. JA of Georgia serves 120,000 students statewide in an average year. JA of Georgia has offices in Atlanta, Dalton, Gainesville and Savannah. For more information, visit georgia.ja.org.