As a STEM-focused high school in Adams 12 Five Star Schools, Northglenn High School provides students with authentic real-world learning experiences that foster creativity, innovation, collaboration and problem-solving, and prepares students to be thinkers, doers and entrepreneurs.

In support of these efforts, Northglenn High School partnered with Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain this past January to integrate Junior Achievement’s Personal Finance and Be Entrepreneurial curriculum into every freshman economics class.

As is the model with all Achievement programs, course content is taught by business professionals who serve as classroom volunteers and bring “real-world” knowledge and experience to their teaching.

“For many ninth-graders, economics can be really daunting,” said NHS social studies teacher Ryan Otterson. “JA’s Personal Finance curriculum makes concepts like saving, budgeting, investing and credit real and personal. This enables students to make meaningful connections to their own lives. Hearing from business professionals who share personal experiences is also great for the kids and enhances their learning.

“We really like the JA curriculum,” he added. “It fits well with our STEM focus, and as district budgets become increasingly lean, JA is an incredible resource and educational supplement that is offered at no cost to schools.”

JA programs are designed to support skills and competencies identified by the Partnership for 21st Century Skills. These skills include creativity and innovation, critical thinking and problem solving, communication and collaboration, flexibility and adaptability, and global and civic awareness. JA programs also correlate to state standards in social studies, English and mathematics, and to Common Core State Standards.

“Having Northglenn High School commit to offering JA programs in all 11 of their freshman economics classes is huge,” said Charlene Moser, high school program manager for JA. “The teachers and leaders at Northglenn recognize the value of connecting their 325 ninth-grade students to business professionals, and to tying financial education into their emphasis on STEM. It’s a wonderful partnership.”

NHS also is partnering with JA to deliver Be Entrepreneurial, a program introducing students to the essential elements of a practical business plan and challenging them to start an entrepreneurial venture. Students learn about product development, financing, marketing, competitive advantages and advertising.

Using the JA curriculum and framework, NHS launched an Entrepreneur Club in September as a way to help develop students’ passions and ideas into actual businesses, and to support students’ problem-based learning projects.

“We have eight committed students in the club, and they are available to all learners looking for help with their entrepreneurial projects,” said NHS social studies teacher and Entrepreneur Club sponsor Joe Croteau. “Two ideas the club members are developing are service-focused ventures that provide tutoring and mentoring to students. They want to give back and to help other students learn and to achieve. Other club members are developing retail business ideas, including wireless technologies.”

The educators at Junior Achievement and the high school are anxious to see how their efforts to enhance STEM curriculum with financial literacy will benefit young people in the long-term, as students continue to expand and apply what they’re learning.

“Helping our young people develop the knowledge and skills to think critically and to explore innovations and new ideas is vital,” said Adams 12 Five Star Schools Superintendent Chris Gdowski. “Partnering with JA at Northglenn High School allows us to help students understand the essential connection between STEM careers and economic and entrepreneurial literacy.”