As Kids Head Back to School, JA is Seeking Classroom Volunteers
Eastern Shore, MD — Back-to-school season is here. In the coming days, thousands of area students will be back in the classroom to learn reading, writing, math, and so many other invaluable skills. One experience they may have in their class is a Junior Achievement (JA) program. Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore is seeking classroom volunteers to help students make a connection between what they are learning in school and how it will apply later in life.
Research conducted by JA and Survey Monkey shows that helping students link what they learn in school to life outside the classroom is one of the biggest concerns of teachers. JA recruits volunteers, primarily from the business community, to share their experience with students on subjects like managing money, career exploration, and starting a business. In the process, students see how volunteers used what they learned in school to become successful adults. The volunteers are supported by JA’s proven programs to create an experience that is beneficial for students and meaningful for volunteers.
“Our research shows that Junior Achievement alumni are more likely to finish high school and complete college because of their JA experience,” said Lisa Thornton, Development Manager for Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore. “The same research also shows that one-in-five JA alumni end up working in the same field as their JA volunteer, so the volunteers have a tremendous impact on students.”
JA offers programs in grades K through 12. Volunteers are provided an orientation on how to deliver the programs along with a kit that contains everything they’ll need for the lessons. Program materials are hands-on, engaging, and simple to use. Often visits, which can be as little as 45 minutes, can be arranged at schools near a volunteer’s home or place of work and in some cases a volunteer may be able to participate at their own child’s school. During the 2018-2019 school year, Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore taught 9,463 students in 416 classes with the help of 231 volunteers.
To get involved this school year, please visit https://www.juniorachievement.org/web/ja-easternshore/volunteer-now
About Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore
Junior Achievement of the Eastern Shore is a non-profit organization dedicated to educating youth, grades K-12 both public and private, on financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Our hands-on, age-appropriate programs inspire youth to live within their means, prepare for the world of work and understand the free enterprise system. Our programs are brought to life by local business members from the community. We are an enhancement to what kids learn in school and a direct link to real-life applications, making school relevant and increasing students’ engagement in the classroom.
