Junior Achievement of North Florida (JANFL) has announced a $250,000 capital investment from the Michael Ward and Jennifer Glock Foundation in support of the Junior Achievement Experiential Learning Center (ELC), a transformative educational initiative that will prepare the next generation of Northeast Florida students for success in work and life.
The gift will support the general capital construction of the 34,000-square-foot experiential learning center, currently planned for the Florida State College at Jacksonville Downtown Campus. Once completed, the facility will serve more than 30,000 students each year through immersive, hands-on experiences in financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship.
“Jennifer and I believe that every young person deserves the opportunity to discover their potential and build a successful future. The Experiential Learning Center will provide students with real-world experiences that inspire confidence, expand career possibilities and equip them with skills that will serve them for a lifetime. We are proud to support a project that will have a lasting impact on our community and future generations.” Said Michael Ward, Michael Ward and Jennifer Glock Foundation.
“We are incredibly grateful to Michael Ward and Jennifer Glock for their generosity and their shared belief in the potential of every young person in our community,” said Shannon Italia, president of Junior Achievement of North Florida. “Their investment is about far more than a building. It is an investment in opportunity — helping thousands of students discover career pathways, develop critical life skills and envision brighter futures. We hope this gift inspires others to join us in making this transformational project a reality.”
The Experiential Learning Center will feature JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, nationally recognized programs that allow students to step into realistic business and personal finance simulations. Through these experiences, students learn how to manage money, explore careers, operate businesses and make informed financial decisions while connecting classroom learning to real-world application.
For decades, Ward has been recognized as one of Jacksonville’s most respected business and civic leaders. Through the Michael Ward and Jennifer Glock Foundation, he and Glock have championed initiatives that strengthen education, expand opportunity and improve the quality of life throughout Northeast Florida.
“Michael and Jennifer have consistently demonstrated their commitment to investing in initiatives that create lasting impact,” Italia said. “Their leadership and confidence in this project sends a powerful message about the importance of preparing young people for successful futures and will help inspire additional philanthropic investment.”
The Experiential Learning Center represents the largest initiative in Junior Achievement of North Florida’s history and will serve students from Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties. The center is expected to become one of the region’s premier destinations for career exploration and workforce development, connecting education with the needs of Northeast Florida’s growing economy.
The campaign continues to build momentum with support from corporations, foundations, government partners and individual philanthropists throughout the region as Junior Achievement works toward a planned 2027 groundbreaking.
To learn more about the Junior Achievement Experiential Learning Center or to support the campaign, go to janflelc.org.
