Racine, Wisconsin — Back-to-school season is here. In the coming days, thousands of Junior Achievement volunteers will join educators to provide relevant programs that connect what students are learning in school to real-life applications later on.
Research conducted by Junior Achievement and Survey Monkey shows that helping students link what they learn in school to life outside the classroom is one of the biggest concerns facing teachers. Junior Achievement (JA) recruits volunteers to share their experience with students on subjects like managing money, career exploration and starting a business. In the process, students learn 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 Paula Herrmann, director of the Racine/Kenosha Area for Junior Achievement of Wisconsin. “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.”
This school year, Junior Achievement, in partnership with National University System (NUS), a network of accredited, nonprofit universities, will offer an exclusive tuition rate of $4,999 to benefit qualified JA volunteers and educators for bachelor’s and master’s degrees. This tuition rate, 75% less than the usual tuition, will be available for more than 100 degree programs, including business, education, and organizational leadership.
JA volunteers who have taught a JA class, or are signed up to teach a class or after-school program in the current school year, as well as educators offering a JA program in the current school year, are eligible for the tuition program.
Volunteers for Junior Achievement include business professionals, stay-at-home parents, retirees, military professionals, and eligible high school and college students. JA offers programs in grades K through 12. Volunteers lead 5-7 class times, approximately 45 minutes in length, for each program. They are provided an orientation on how to deliver the programs. According to new volunteers, program materials are hands-on, engaging and simple to use. Often classes 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.
To volunteer with JA and learn about the tuition discount program, call 262.638.4338 or visit Wisconsin.ja.org. Click the “get involved” tab to volunteer and the “in the news” tab for the tuition program.