JA Excellence through Ethics®

JA Excellence through Ethics curriculum cover

Middle School
High School
Implementation:
Classroom Based
After School
Virtual

Pillars of Student Success
Work Readiness High Work Readiness
Financial Literacy Minimal Financial Literacy
Entrepreneurship Minimal Entrepreneurship
With JA Excellence through Ethics, students learn the importance of ethics and ethical decision making and how ethical and unethical choices affect everyone in a community. Along with a volunteer business professional, the teacher helps students explore personal values, character development, and ethics while offering the opportunity to discuss related issues. The program's aim is to show students that the adults around them value ethical behavior. Students need strong character qualities, including respect, fairness, and a positive attitude, to become self-disciplined, lifelong learners at school, work, and beyond. They discover that character matters.

Following participation in the program, students will be able to:

-- Demonstrate the importance of ethics and ethical decision making.
-- Examine and challenge their own choices in daily life, work, school, and their community.

JA Excellence through Ethics is part of the JA Work and Career Readiness Pathway and is recommended for middle and high school students.

JA Excellence through Ethics is a 60- to 90-minute learning experience with additional optional activities that create an opportunity for the volunteer to impact students' lives. The program is available in classroom-based and remote synchronous implementation. The volunteer serves as a role model, sharing personal on-the-job experiences and information while leading the session. Optional choice activities may take more time if the teacher and the volunteer choose to implement them.

JA teachers and volunteers are encouraged, as part of this program, to utilize the resources available in JA Connect™ Learning Pathways, located at connect.ja.org. This self-guided experience includes interactives, JA Digital Career Book, games and apps for student use.

JA programs support national and state standards in reading, mathematics, social studies, and work and career readiness. See below for more information on alignment with national and state standards.

Program Concepts

Accountability, beliefs, code of conduct, core values, decision-making, employee ethics, ethical awareness, ethical dilemmas, ethical obligations, ethical reasoning, ethical standards, interdependence, interpersonal skills, professional attitude, rights of others, role model, social responsibility, truthfulness, values

Skills Students Learn

  • Analyze situations and decisions in light of ethical considerations
  • Apply guidelines for ethical decision making
  • Consider attitudes
  • Critical thinking
  • Examine the competing pressures on young people
  • Express why ethical standards are important to society and businesses
  • Listening and communicating
  • Reading for understanding
  • Suggest actions to correct problems

Virtual Implementation

Remote live implementation is available for JA Excellence through Ethics.

Program Resources

Alignment with State and National Standards

Common Core Standards

For those states that follow common core standards, Junior Achievement’s curricula have been reviewed for alignment with these standards! Learn more by selecting the appropriate grade level below.

Main Correlation and Standards Page

National Standards

While educational standards are determined primarily at the state level, many national standards serve as guidelines for the development of these state standards. See how Junior Achievement curricula align with the national standards listed below.

Main Correlation and Standards Page

State Standards

Junior Achievement curricula are created to align with state standards. To see how our programs align with your state’s standards, explore the options below.

Main Correlation and Standards Page

Scope and Sequence

Junior Achievement learning experiences cover financial literacy, career and work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Our extensive scope and sequence helps explain how our programs cover these subjects at various grade levels.

Main Correlation and Standards Page

Request a Presenter to Teach Curriculum

A Junior Achievement Volunteer teaches students
Junior Achievement lessons are delivered by volunteers from the community. These presenters are prepared by JA to facilitate engaging learning activities that focus on financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship. This results in an enriched learning experience that helps students make the connection between what they learn in school and the world outside the classroom.

Steps to Request a Presenter

Steps to Request a Presenter

1) Request Info

Once you’ve decided to have a JA volunteer in your classroom, fill out the form on this website. You will receive information on next steps.

2) Pick Schedule

You will be able to coordinate a schedule that works for your class either online or in conjunction with a JA representative.

3) Meet Presenter

Once a volunteer is identified for your class, JA will connect you with the presenter to discuss roles, expectations, and logistics.

4) Empower Students with Standards-Based Education

After all details are in place, the JA volunteer will deliver lessons to your students either virtually or in-person.

Request Information about this Learning Experience



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