|
JA is a national organization, first established locally in 1973, that relies on community volunteers to
teach lessons on business, economics and work in schools.
Individual teachers at all grade levels in many school districts have partnered with Junior Achievement of
Eastern Iowa over the years.
Waterloo Community Schools took it a step further last fall when the district began requiring Junior
Achievement sessions for all students in kindergarten through eighth grade. At the high school level, students
can take a class based on the organization's curriculum, including the JA Company Program and an economics
course. The volunteers lead five to seven weekly sessions.
"JA offers a set curriculum that has been successful over the years," said Mary Meier, the
district's director of career/technical and high school education. She said it "fits in with our
mission perfectly" as the district puts greater focus on college and career readiness with implementation
of career interest academies at the high schools.
In addition, Junior Achievement's programs go "a long way in fulfilling" 21st century skill
requirements in employability, financial literacy and civic literacy that are part of the Iowa Core
Curriculum, Meier said. The core curriculum, signed into law in 2008, also identifies essential concepts in
literacy, mathematics, science and social studies. All districts and accredited non-public schools must
implement it for grades nine through 12 by 2012 and for kindergarten through eighth grade by 2014.
"We want students to develop those soft skills that make them employable," said Laura Kann,
development manager for Junior Achievement's Cedar Valley area. Among those skills is writing a resume,
showing up on time, working in teams or independently, learning to accept feedback, carrying out multiple
tasks and managing resources.
"The primary goal is to teach students the skills of work readiness, financial literacy and
entrepreneurship," said Carrie Pontzius, education manager for Junior Achievement's Cedar Valley
area. "To have a volunteer come in and relate it to a specific business in the community helps them make
that connection."
Sessions at the elementary schools initially help students identify needs and wants. Later sessions teach them
about careers. "The elementary programs focus primarily on students learning about their role in a family
and community," Pontzius said.
At the middle schools, "they focus more on the entrepreneurship and literacy skills," she said.
Students create their own budget, use a check register and learn about the economy.
The organization reaches about 53 percent of students across the Cedar Valley, "and obviously Waterloo is
a significant part of that," Kann said. In 2009-10, that included 13,295 students in 11 school districts
and 591 classes. More than 8,700 of those students were in the Waterloo district.
JA's presence in Waterloo Schools has grown over the years. Several district schools chose to begin
regularly participating in the programs in 1989. Between the fall of 2006 and spring of 2009, most district
schools used the programs. The next fall it was used for all students in kindergarten through eighth
grade.
The district is charged a per-student fee for those in fourth through eighth grade. The fee pays for all
student, teacher and volunteer materials plus shipping charges, classroom insurance and Junior Achievement
staff time. Last year, the district's cost totaled about $40,000.
Developing leaders
Students in Zuck's class have embraced their roles in developing a business. Junior Jardez Hollingsworth
was named president when the class elected officers, a position for which he received special JA
training.
"I've learned that we all have to work together and that chemistry is important," Hollingsworth
said. "This is something that is viable and serious."
Senior Jay Hoffman expects the class to be successful in developing and selling a product this fall. He hopes
to pursue a business career after college and views the Junior Achievement program as one step in that
process. "I feel that this class will give me entrepreneurial skills," Hoffman said.
Ettelson, the director of community resources and spiritual care for Allen Hospital, has been a Junior
Achievement volunteer for about 15 years. She has high praise for JA's high school program.
"It gives the kids the opportunity to develop as leaders," she said, noting they gain confidence in
voicing their opinions and collaborating with classmates. "These are kids who might not be leaders on the
athletic field."
"They've all been very vocal and want to have a say in what they're doing," Zuck said.
Don Gibson, an East High School teacher who uses the Junior Achievement program, added, "It brings out
those that are quiet and shy, because the incentive is the greenback dollar."
Eighth-graders in Mike Landers' Hoover Middle School classes last week spent time discussing the costs and
benefits of making major decisions during their Junior Achievement sessions. Since the class focuses on U.S.
history through 1877, they discussed it in light of immigrants moving west to claim land after the Homestead
Act was signed by President Abraham Lincoln.
In one class, volunteer Chris Hyers handed out cards detailing scenarios of immigrant families to groups of
students. Each group came to a consensus on what they would do and Hyers asked students to explain to the
class how they arrived at it.
"The activity we did today, it kind of felt like we were put into their shoes and what they had to go
through," said student Lincoln Conrey. "I like it, because you can see what it looks like in the
world --- what you could do and the choices you have to make."
Conrey enjoys Junior Achievement sessions, which he has had each year since about fourth grade. "It kind
of helps you prepare for life," he said.
The fact that volunteers from area businesses teach the sessions is an important aspect of what JA provides.
Junior Achievement had 416 Cedar Valley volunteers last year from 113 companies and expects to have about 450
during 2010-11.
Landers noted that Hyers, vice president of business development for Wheaton Franciscan Healthcare,
"sparked interest with all of our students" when he started the session talking about his workplace.
He believes it spurs "a whole new level of learning" when students see the interest of a community
member in their education.
"I think it's really positive to bring people in from the community to interact with our
students," Landers said. "Any possible way to get the community involved is going to be positive,
and Junior Achievement allows that to happen."
|
