Afterschool Program Development and Implementation Support

Junior Achievement (JA) will address the after-school and economic/financial literacy needs of children in America by implementing a 3-year strategy to research, develop, demonstrate, and evaluate new experiential, entrepreneurial, after-school curricula for elementary, middle and high school students. The programs will provide K-12 students with hands-on learning opportunities, which will students will attain a fundamental understanding of the free enterprise system. The programs will be implemented in a safe environment in collaboration with community based organizations and schools and will provide academic enrichment opportunities that can improve the quality of their lives. JA will conduct independent, summative evaluations to assess the efficacy of its after-school programs on participating youth. In particular, JA projects that participants will achieve better grades, display more appropriate conduct in school (and in other settings), engage in more academic enrichment opportunities, exhibit better peer relations, display higher levels of emotional adjustment, and report lower incidences of drug-use, violence, and pregnancy. JA will report these measures to OJJDP in the grantee's Categorical Assistance Progress Reports. NCA/NCF