Mission: To inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy. Junior Achievement fosters the future success and economic health of young people and the communities in which they live. We do this by providing hands-on elementary and secondary programs focused on work-readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship. Through these programs and the support of businesses and individuals, JA reinforces the relevancy of schools' curriculum and empowers young people to own their economic success. Junior Achievement is a global organization that was established in 1919. JA of the Heartland began serving the Quad Cities and surrounding communities in 1956. We have grown from serving 155 students in 1956 to more than 55,000 in 2018. Junior Achievement is the only nonprofit organization in the world dedicated to youth, education and economic development.