Junior Achievement has new Atlanta center

Junior Achievement has opened a new financial literacy and career readiness center in Atlanta. CONTRIBUTED

Junior Achievement has opened a new financial literacy and career readiness center in Atlanta. CONTRIBUTED

Junior Achievement of Georgia and the Chick-fil-A Foundation recently unveiled a new state-of-the-art financial literacy and career readiness center inside the Georgia World Congress Center, according to a press release.

Beginning Sept. 10, more than 30,000 middle school students from Atlanta Public Schools, DeKalb County Schools, Fulton County Schools and Marietta City Schools will visit Junior Achievement’s Chick-fil-A Foundation Discovery Center each school year.

The 50,000-square-foot facility provides a 360-degree educational experience that begins in the classroom and culminates with a day at the interactive simulation venues JA BizTown and JA Finance Park. The experiential learning experience, teaches students the importance of personal budgeting, career readiness and real-life adult responsibilities represented by a “mini-city” of simulated storefronts.

“This is the next step in JA’s continued efforts to empower students to own their future economic success. With JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, Junior Achievement had a vision to develop a center that would bring education to life,” said Jack Harris, president of Junior Achievement of Georgia. “In just 11 months, with the help of organizations like the Chick-fil-A Foundation, SunTrust and Delta, we were able to transform that vision into a reality.”

“The unique partnership forged between area businesses and educators provides kids with a unique opportunity for mentorship and learning beyond their mandated curriculum,” added Rodney Bullard, Vice President of Community Affairs of Chick-fil-A, Inc. and Executive Director of Chick-fil-A Foundation. “It’s a perfect complement to the work we are doing for youth and education and demonstrates the old adage that it takes a village to raise a child.”

Information: georgia.ja.org