The recipient entity's physical address:
           8356 Billiu Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70817

The recipient entity's mailing address (if different):
           8356 Billiu Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70817

Type of Entity (for instance, a nonprofit corporation):  Non-Profit Corporation

If the entity is a corporation, list the names of the incorporators:
          

The last four digits of the entity's taxpayer ID number:  5727

What is the dollar amount of the request?  $6,000,000

What type of request is this?  Capital Outlay Appropriation

Is this entity in good standing with the Secretary of State?  Yes

Provide the name of each member of the recipient entity's governing board and officers:
           Allison Byrd 13906 Perkins Rd. Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Amy Jones 26334 Kendalwood Rd Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Anita Coyle 15304 Lockett Lane, Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Brett Blanchard 19314 Point O Woods Ct., Baton Rouge, La 70809
Chris Peters 11343 Preservation Way Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Dana Hart "Flores MBA Program, E. J Ourso College of Business, Louisiana State University, 501 S. Quad Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70803"
Derek Foret 2034 Woodchase Ct., Baton Rouge, La 70808
Derek Matherne 427 Rosella Drive, Thibodaux, La 70301
Jan Rivers 41013 Rue Chene, Ponchatoula, La 70454
Jessica Lovejoy 301 Main Street, Suite 2150 | Baton Rouge, LA 70801
Jerry Denicola 6150 Morgan Bend Drive., Baton Rouge, La 70820
Jill Dyason 22768 Hoo Shoo Too Road, Baton Rouge, La 70817
Jimmy Sylvester 10647 Manchac Pass Ave., Baton Rouge, LA 70817
Joni Barrick 7450 Old Live Oak Dr Denham Springs, LA 70706
Kelvin Luster 315 Rushmore Drive, Baton Rouge, La 70819
Kelsey Amato 345 Magnolia Wood Ave., Baton Rouge, La 70808
Layne McDaniel 3031 Lockefield Drive, Baton Rouge, La 70816
Marguerite Baudean 200 St. Anne Drive, Apt #711, Mandeville, La 70471
Michael 'Mike' Gaudet 6545 Millstone Avenue Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Dr. Pamela Ravare-Jones 15725 Long Farm Road, Baton Rouge, La 70817
Philip Plaisance 15281 Ryan Ave., Prairieville, La 70769
Renee Graff 6149 Morgan Bend Drive, Baton Rouge, La 70820
Shane Firmin 15252 Lockett Ln Baton Rouge, LA 70810
Travis Drago 18139 Kenner Drive, Prairieville, La 70769
Scott McCallister 18162 Fountain Hill Blvd. Prairieville, La 70769
Steven Brooksher 1450 Knollwood Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
Terri Thompson Edwards 4322 Monte Vista Drive, Addis, La 70710
Tine' Neames 941 Carriage Way, Baton Rouge, La 70808
Wendi Berthelot* 10505 Manchac Pass Ave., Baton Rouge, La 70817
Dr. YaSheka Adams 12723 Fairwood Ct., Baton Rouge, LA 70816

Paula Dawson, JA President 8356 Billiu St. Baton Rouge, LA 70817

Provide a summary of the project or program:
           This 25,000sq foot facility is an immersive learning for student programs teaching work-preparedness, personal finance and economic education. The facility will serve thousands of middle and high school students within the 10-parishes of Greater Baton Rouge.

Before a visit to the JA Discovery Center students will have 13 lessons in economic education (financial literacy, work readiness, and business/entrepreneurship). After the complete the curriculum, schools will be able to bring students for a day of hands-on grade-level learning experience.

For middle school students, JA BizTown students have their “first day on the job”, working together to meet business goals and learning how money flows through our local community. They’ll become business leaders, consumers, employers, and employees. They will operate banks, manage a restaurant, open a checking account, shop for groceries, and EVEN vote for a mayor. They'll gain experience working in this simulated city, and make decision about their business, their purchases, and their community leaders. This program helps middle school students see their future in the world of work and learn more about what it's like to hire, work, and meet goals.
In JA Finance Park, students can enroll in an entry level and advanced level personal finance learning experience. In the program, teens begin to explore earning, saving, spending and what decisions they'll need to make about their lives to create financial independence and afford the life they want. In JA Finance Park, through reality-based hands-on simulation allowing students to practice personal finance decision making as they manage their “household finances”.

At JA Finance Park, they’ll learn how to live within their means, understanding taxes, net income, credit scores, and learning how to make financially healthy decisions as they manage expenses, for themselves, their “spouses and kids”. And boy do they feel the stress financial independence, often realizing for the first time, the financial responsibilities of adulthood. They'll see firsthand the impact that educational attainment can have on future economic opportunities and learn how to avoid financial pitfalls.

Students can attend this economic educational learning experience through their schools. Each year, this site can host approximately 16,000 students during the school year. In summers, the site can be utilized by other programs or entities, hosting for example, Adult Financial Literacy programs.

This facility will be available to middle and high school students in ten (10) Capital area parishes and will support educators and students to meet the financial education requirement for graduation.

What is the budget relative to the project for which funding is requested?:
          Salaries. . . . . . . . . . . . . $100,000
          Professional Services. . . $291,000
          Contracts . . . . . . . . . . . $0
          Acquisitions . . . . . . . . . $800,000
          Major Repairs . . . . . . . $0
          Operating Services. . . . $0
          Other Charges. . . . . . . $4,809,000

Does your organization have any outstanding audit issues or findings?  No

If 'Yes' is your organization working with the appropriate governmental agencies to resolve those issues or findings?
          

What is the entity's public purpose, sought to be achieved through the use of state monies?
          The overall public purpose is to supplement the traditional education process with experiential real-world learning opportunities that will help students transition from school to real-world work situations and independent life situations that they are likely to encounter after graduation from high school.

Junior Achievement's mission is to prepare young people for economic success. Using relevant, age-appropriate curriculum taught by mentors form the business community, students build the skills necessary to create economic mobility and participate fully in the free enterprise system.

This request seeks support and use of state monies towards the construction of a 25,000 square foot immersive learning facility to give middle and high school students hands-on workforce, finance, and business learning experiences. This site will utilize technology and JA's BizTown and Finance Park curriculum to create experiential learning of the free enterprise system.

This Discovery Center will operate as a "city" where students will spend their first days on the job and learn how to manage their expenses through financial decision-making.

This site will serve thousands of middle and high school students each year across 10 Capital Area parishes and will enhance JA's robust classroom programming, currently enrolling 30,000 Capital Area students each year.

What are the goals and objectives for achieving such purpose?
          Junior Achievement works to bring economic education to all students in our footprint in grade-sequential programming and immersive learning experiences. The Junior Achievement Discovery Center is expected to open late 2025 and support economic education for young people.

will help students become their future selves in an experiential real-world learning experience. They'll become adults for a day, managing household finances, working in their first jobs, and helping to participate in their community. They vote, become consumers, run businesses and connect financial and workforce concepts with their real lives.

The presence of a JA Discovery Center can achieve economic and educational outcomes around financial success and workforce readiness. This learning experiences as part of JA's robust classroom curriculum will strengthen local economies and families through economic empowering educational experiences.

Once open, this site will welcome thousands of middle and high school students from schools across the Capital Area.

What is the proposed length of time estimated by the entity to accomplish the purpose?
           24 months

If any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official is an officer, director, trustee, or employee of the recipient entity who receives compensation or holds any ownership interest therein:
     (a) If an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of the official and the office held by such person:
                 n/a
    
     (b) If an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official, the name and address of such person; the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related; and the nature of the relationship:
                 n/a

     (c) The percentage of the official's or immediate family member's ownership interest in the recipient entity, if any:
                 0

     (d) The position, if any, held by the official or immediate family member in the recipient entity:
                 

If the recipient entity has a contract with any elected or appointed state official or an immediate family member of such an official or with the state or any political subdivision of the state:
(a) If the contract is with an elected or appointed state official, provide the name and address of the official and the office held by such person: 
               n/a

(b) If the contract is with an immediate family member of an elected or appointed state official:
          Provide the name and address of such person:
              

          Provide the name, address, and office of the official to whom the person is related:
               

          What is the nature of the relationship? 

(c) If the contract is with the state or a political subdivision of the state, provide the name and address of the state entity or political subdivision of the state:
                

(d) The nature of the contract, including a description of the goods or services provided or to be provided pursuant to the contract:
               


Contact Information
name:  Paula Dawson 
                                       address:  8356 Billiu Street
Baton Rouge, LA 70817
                                       phone:  2254850073
                                       fax: 
                                       e-mail:  pdawson@jabatonrouge.com
                                       relationship to entity:  President