JA Excellence through Ethics™

JA Excellence through Ethics curriculum cover

Middle School
High School
Implementation:
Classroom Based

Pillars of Student Success
Work Readiness High Work Readiness
Financial Literacy Minimal Financial Literacy
Entrepreneurship Minimal Entrepreneurship
With the JA Excellence through Ethics program, students will 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, you will help 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. As students will discover, character matters.

The JA Excellence through Ethics program is a 60- to 90-minute learning experience with additional optional activities that create an opportunity for volunteers to impact students' lives. Volunteers will serve as role models sharing personal on-the-job experiences and information while leading the JA Excellence through Ethics program session. Optional choice activities may take more time if the teacher and the volunteer choose to implement them.

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




Program Goal

Demonstrate the importance of ethics and ethical decision making to allow the students to examine and challenge their own choices in daily life, work, school, and in their community.

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

Program Resources

Alignment with State and National Standards

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.

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

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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