Get Started With JA

Junior Achievement of Central Upstate New York provides several ways that you can get involved whether you're someone looking to volunteer, part of a district or school looking for educational materials, or part of a business looking to help us expand the reach of our mission.

Educators

Junior Achievement provides activities, guides, thought leadership and lots of additional resources to support learning.

Educators, begin here

Volunteers

In-person or Virtual you can Volunteer with Junior Achievement and make a profound difference in the youth of our community.

Volunteers, begin here

Impact Partners

Junior Achievement partners with corporations and individuals to fund the programs that are delivered to our local students.

Impact Partners, begin here

Junior Achievement of Central Upstate New York Spotlight

Paychex Junior Achievement Discovery Center

  Where: Kodak Center in Eastman Business Park, 200 W. Ridge Road, 3rd Floor, Rochester, NY 14615

In the JA Discovery Center, middle and high school students leave behind their life lives as students and become engaged citizens in our economy. They will not only learn about in-demand careers in our community, but they will actually perform a job for the day. They will not only spend the wages they earn, but they must spend responsibility in the Discovery Center, opening a bank account and make buying decisions within a budget. They will not only see how our local economy works, but they will collectively run it.

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Paychex Junior Achievement Discovery Center

Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge

  Where: Paychex Junior Achievement Discovery Center

 When: Wednesday, April 22, 2026 9:30 AM

JA Take Stock in Your Future introduces students to basic concepts about how the stock market works and the impact of current events on the stock market. After completing the classroom curriculum, students will come to our center to compete in the JA Stock Market Challenge. This is a high-energy, in-person simulation in which students compete in teams to trade funds and put into practice lessons learned about long-term investment strategy and the risks and rewards of trading.

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Junior Achievement Stock Market Challenge

JA Young Women's Leadership Summit

  Where: Paychex Junior Achievement Discovery Center

 When: Wednesday, May 20, 2026 9:00 AM

JA Young Women’s Leadership Summit empowers young women from local high schools in a transformative mentoring experience, one that encourages them to learn new skills, explore careers, dream big and prepare to lead!

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JA Young Women's Leadership Summit

15149

Students Reached Locally
2024-2025

737

Classes Locally
2024-2025

793

Volunteers Locally
2024-2025

122

Schools Reached Locally
2024-2025

176360

Contact Hours Locally
2024-2025

Select a button below to see how you or your organization can get involved with Junior Achievement of Central Upstate New York, Inc..

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