Junior Achievement of the Permian Basin is a member of Junior Achievement, a global organization that operates in 123 countries and reaches 9.7 million students per year. Junior Achievement's purpose is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy, teaching them to value free enterprise, business and economics to improve the quality of their lives. JA educates students about work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy through experiential, hands-on programs which help to connect success in education with success in the future. Junior Achievement was founded nationally in 1919. The original program organized students into after-school companies that produced and sold a product, sold stock, and returned a dividend to stockholders when the company closed at the end of the school year. JA's current grade specific programs build on previous courses and enhance the daily class curriculum while preparing youth for further education, and their future roles as adults and contributors to the community. JA programs are also provided at no cost to schools, teachers or students. Funding for the program materials, staff support, and volunteer preparation comes from local donors, foundations and special events. JA began locally in 1962, with 250 students in the after-school program. Today, students are reached in classrooms in Midland and Odessa, with activities related to its roots. Just as the program started in Midland and spread to Odessa, Junior Achievement of the Permian Basin seeks to reach as many area students as possible! Last year, JA of the Permian Basin had almost 200 individuals across the Permian Basin serve as classroom volunteers, presenting the programs and serving as role models. Their personal experience provides needed real world perspective for students exploring their future careers and responsibilities.