Frequently asked questions for educators and exhibitors
EVENT DETAILS
What is JA Inspire?
JA Inspire is a coalition of educators and industry leaders, led by Junior Achievement of Rhode Island. At the center of our work is a powerful Career Exploration Fair that will be a massive exploratory learning experience - measured in both square feet and impact.
All students will participate in our JA Inspire classroom curriculum before and after the event. This capstone experience is designed as an interactive, hands-on, career exploration for 8th grade students.
The event will feature a showcase of high-growth/high-demand careers at local businesses, non-profits, government agencies, and educational organizations. Exhibits will include interactive career stations with mentors who will share their career advice with the students and will engage students with equipment, technology, and the opportunity to “step into the shoes” of individuals representing the many industries here in Rhode Island.
When is the 2024-2025 JA Inspire event?
The JA Inspire Career Exploration Fair is Tuesday, December 10th - Thursday, December 12th from 8:30am to 1pm
Where is JA Inspire?
Rhode Island Convention Center, 1 Sabin Street, Providence, RI 02903; Halls A through D on the 3rd Floor
Who attends JA Inspire?
6,500 8th grade students (13-14 years old) and educators from RI middle schools, as well as 100+ exhibitors from RI’s high-wage/high-growth industries. Elected Officials, CEOs, JA Inspire Sponsors, and community and educational leaders have been invited to participate in a VIP Tour and Reception on the morning of Tuesday, November 14th.
Who do I contact with additional questions?
For questions regarding curriculum or school participation, contact Fiametta Elie, Work-Based Learning Program Manager at fiametta.elie@ja.org or 401-331-3850 ext. 17. For questions regarding exhibiting, contact Cassi Steenblok, Development Manager at cassi.steenblok@ja.org or 401-331-3850 ext. 18
For Educators
How do I sign-up to participate?
You can sign-up to participate here.
How many classes can I enroll?
You can enroll as many classes and students as you’d like.
Do we have to attend the Career Exploration Fair Fair on a certain day or will there be some flexibility with that?
The JA Inspire Career Exploration Fair is Tuesday, December 10th - Thursday, December 12th from 8:30am to 1pm. Schools will be assigned to attend on a set date and provided a 90-minute session where they can explore the exhibit floor. The event is first come, first serve.
What type of technology needs will the school and educators need to be concerned about?
Check with your school’s technology department to be sure there are no firewalls for students and teachers to be able to access the curriculum links which include videos from YouTube and Vimeo. Please check with your technology department to make sure the students are able to access these sites on their school-issued computers. Please ensure that students will have access to the internet at home if they are remote learning or completing the sessions as homework. Be sure that your school will have the bandwidth support for the students to access the curriculum links in school. You may want to allow students to wear headphones when they access the video links.
What/if any are the curriculum requirements for students to complete before attending the JA Inspire event?
There is a curriculum for middle school students with engaging and enrichment activities. This year we are offering two delivery options that educators can choose from when deciding how to engage students in the curriculum. You can run the full curriculum or host a one-day session where classroom teachers facilitate a workshop to small groups of students.
If you decide to utilize the full curriculum, it can be 100% student self-guided, 100% teacher-led, or a hybrid of both. The entire curriculum can be accessed digitally. All of the activities are downloadable PDFs that will need to be printed for students. The curriculum includes videos and links to outside resources, including JA’s newly constructed JA Connect site and Here to Career, where students will create their own accounts and take a skills and interest inventory that will provide them with information regarding careers and education to help them throughout the rest of the JA Inspire sessions. There are 4 sessions, as well as a pre-test, that the students will need to participate in prior to attending the JA Inspire virtual event, a reflection activity, and a post-test following the event.
JA will provide training on the curriculum to share with schools upon program request, or if a school prefers JA can provide a virtual training of the program for that particular school and teachers.
How will the lessons be accessed and delivered?
The lessons are all teacher-led. The curriculum is digital with downloadable PDFs and links to assessments. If you are unable to print the curriculum, please contact Fiametta Elie, Work-Based Learning Program Manager at fiametta.elie@ja.org or 401-331-3850 ext. 17
What type of activities will be included in the curriculum that will help prepare the students for the day of the event?
You can view the Program Overview here. Activities that will be included are: career and skills assessment; resume writing tips; how to create an elevator pitch; ability to explore career clusters and high growth high demand careers.
Will students need support from teachers when completing the activities?
The activities have been developed for the students to complete independently, however, teachers can provide support for students as needed.
Will the students be required to turn in their completed activities prior to the event?
Yes, that is the expectation. You will be provided with instructions on which part of the curriculum you need to return and when it needs to be submitted in an email.
What type of support will be available on the day of the event?
There will be further instructions on-site at our Launch Pad areas. There will be a JA Information/Command Center for lost students to help educators and students.
What type of training and support will be provided to educators leading up to the event?
JA Rhode Island staff will provide training for educators to prepare them for the JA Inspire event. All teachers who will chaperone or be leading the curriculum must attend program and safety training, in person or virtually. To request this training please contact Fiametta Elie, Work-Based Learning Program Manager at fiametta.elie@ja.org or 401-331-3850 ext. 17.
How long will training take?
The training will be virtual and depending upon how many educators attend each training and the number of questions, plan to be available for 1-1 1/2 hours.
What type of experiences should the students expect on the day of the event?
Students will have the opportunity to visit and meet with a variety of exhibitors, ask questions, and collect information from booths. All exhibitors will have a hands-on activity for students to participate in so they get to see firsthand what working for the company or industry might be like.
Will the students be expected to log onto a virtual platform?
No. Students will need to navigate to external sites, but they do not need to login. The curriculum is downloadable and needs to be either sent directly to students or printed out. When you request the program you will receive a link to a password-protected website where you can access the Teacher Guide and Student Worksheets. If you are unable to do that and require printed copies, please contact Fiametta Elie, Work-Based Learning Program Manager at fiametta.elie@ja.org or 401-331-3850 ext. 17.
Will there be a cost associated with schools attending?
No. There is no cost to educators and students.
Is there a limit to how many students can attend per day?
No, there is no limit.
How many exhibitors/employers will be at the career fair?
Please see the list of exhibitors here. Please note that there will be more exhibitors added to this list over the course of the next few months.
Will the students be limited to the number of interactions/booths they go to?
No, there will not be limitations on the number of booths/interactions they have.
For Exhibitors
I need WIFI and/or electricity for my booth. How do I purchase that?
Reserving WIFI and/or electricity needs to be done in advance of the event and can only be done through the RI Convention Center’s website.
I need water and trash cans, etc. How do I ensure I will have those items?
You can place your orders for these types of items through the Convention Center’s website.
When can I set up my booth?
Load In Day: Monday, December 9th from 1pm - 5pm. There will be a check in table outside of Show Suite C. All exhibitors will be given a floor plan at check in. For info about large vehicles and equipment, see below.
I will be bringing a large vehicle(s) and/or equipment and may need additional time. When can I begin Load In?
Load In Day: Monday, December 16th between 8am and 12pm. You will be sent an email with your assigned time. Once you have unloaded your large vehicle/equipment on the loading dock, please promptly move any other vehicles that are not part of your exhibit to the garage so as to allow others to unload as well. You may then return to the convention center to complete check in and set up your booth. Convention Center staff will be on hand to assist you, as needed.
How will I know where to go at the Convention Center?
JA Inspire will take place on the Exhibit Hall level, 3rd floor. There will be a number of signs pointing Exhibitors, Volunteers, and Employer Representatives to their respective areas. In addition, there will be JA Staff and Convention Center Staff to assist you.
Where do Employer Representatives go?
Representatives who know where their booth is located may proceed directly to their booth. Floor maps are available at check in, outside of Hall D.
As an Exhibitor, what should I know as I engage the students?
Due to the number of students participating this year, there will be two student entrances.
Upon entering Hall D, students will be shown a short introductory video, given a Student Guide Book, and will be escorted into Hall C.
Upon entering Concourse A, students will be shown a short introductory video, given a Student Guide Book, and will be escorted into Hall A.
Students will have 90-minutes to interact with exhibitors.
Students have been prepped to make eye contact, shake hands, and introduce themselves. Students are encouraged to engage with Exhibitors by asking questions, taking notes, and participating in hands-on activities.
What are some of the questions students may ask me?
Some questions may include:
• What kind of skills do I need to work at your business?
- soft skills -- teamwork, responsibility, initiative, leadership
- technical skills -- math, information technology, etc.
• Are there any educational requirements for the job? (diploma, degree, etc.
• How much money do you make?
- Offer a salary or hourly range for someone starting out.
Is there anything else that I need to do with the students who participate in my exhibit?
Each Exhibitor booth will be given a craft stamp, which will be used to mark the corresponding industry on the last page of each student’s guidebook. Students need to be engaged in order to obtain a stamp.
Note: Educators review the Student Guides to gauge student participation, which is also used to issue classroom rewards.
When can I break down my booth?
To ensure all students experience the fair to the fullest, please do not break down any earlier than 1pm AND after the students have left the halls on Thursday, November 16th. An announcement by JA Staff will be made as to when breakdown can begin.
If you need the loading dock to remove equipment, vehicles, and any other large items, Convention Center staff will be available to help you.
Please let JA know if you want to be scheduled for move-out.
What are the student arrival and departure schedules?
On all three days, buses will begin to arrive at the RI Convention Center at 8:45am and thereafter in 10 to 15 minute intervals, until approximately 11am.
What is JA providing for refreshments?
JA will provide breakfast items such as muffins, bagels, pastries, fruit, coffee, and water for all Exhibitors and Volunteers each morning.
Additional snacks (popcorn, chips, water, etc.) will be available to Exhibitors and Volunteers at 11:30 a.m.
Refreshments will be located in Exhibit Hall D, which is accessible via Exhibit Hall C (see map).
Note: No outside food or beverages are allowed in the RI Convention Center.
Is JA providing lunch for Exhibitors and Volunteers?
No, only light snacks and bottled water
Can I bring giveaways for students?
Yes! It is always great for students to have something to take away with them. We ask that you do not bring stickers, sunglasses. and anything sharp for safety and cleanup of the convention center floor.
Where do I park?
On-street, metered parking or in the RI Convention Center Garage
Will parking be validated?
No
Who do I contact with additional questions?
For questions regarding exhibiting, contact Cassi Steenblok, Development Manager at cassi.steenblok@ja.org or 401-331-3850 ext. 18.