All of the 8^th grade students at Northwest Middle School will be participating in a Junior Achievement program Tuesday, February 5.  The It’s My Future JA in a Day program offers practical information about preparing for the working world while still in middle school.  Upon completing the program, students will be able to research potential careers in keeping with the interests and skills they hope to develop, and learn how to plan for and keep a job.  Students will develop personal-branding and job-hunting skills needed to earn a job.

JA depends on volunteers from local organizations to present its programs, giving the students an opportunity to hear from and be taught by business professionals.  Northwest Middle School will get to hear from volunteers from 21^st Mortgage Company, Elavon, Smart Bank, SunTrust Bank, UT and RightWay Insurance.

Typically JA programs are taught over a period of 5-7 weeks but this is will be the first middle school JA in a Day format for Junior Achievement of East TN.  “You often hear about the ‘middle school slump’ where some kids who performed well academically in elementary school start to lose ground in the middle school years,” said Callie Archer, President of Junior Achievement of East Tennessee. “We believe engaging kids with career exploration during middle school is one way to help get some of these kids over the slump because they are better able to make the connection between what they learn in school and how it will benefit them in the future.”