Junior Achievement Needs Spring Volunteers in Dane County Area

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin (JA) is looking for volunteers who are interested in helping young people develop financial and career life skills. By teaching students how to manage money and learn the skills needed for a successful career, JA volunteers help students become productive employees, successful business owners, effective managers of their personal finances, and engaged citizens of their communities.

The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that financial literacy and solid career planning have become essential survival skills, especially for students whose families struggle with financial mobility. Uninformed financial decisions and poor career planning can result in consequences that last a lifetime. The ripple effect is felt by individuals, families, and communities. By building skills and nurturing self-belief, JA prepares young people for the future of work, ensures they have the tools to be financially capable adults, and teaches them to think entrepreneurially.

“Corporate and community volunteers bring JA programs to life by sharing personal and professional experiences and skills with students. This interaction helps students connect what they learn in school and what they need to succeed in work, a career, and daily life,” said Jane Nicholson, South Central Region Director. Nicholson added, “Becoming a JA volunteer is easy for you but life-changing for the students you teach.”

Local JA teams can share the kindergarten through 12^th grade classes that need a volunteer. Each volunteer can choose the class they want to teach, complete training, and receive the materials that show the key topics, games, and activities to be shared with students. Most JA programs use 3 to 7 classroom visits. Other volunteer opportunities exist for those who want to teach online or create pre-recorded videos about their careers.

The South-Central Region office of Junior Achievement is located at 2800 Royal Avenue, Suite 207, Monona, WI 53208. The office provides youth programs in Sauk, Iowa, Columbia, Dane, Green, Rock, Jefferson, Dodge, and Walworth counties. If you are interested in being a JA volunteer, contact Jane Nicholson at 608-288-8201 or jnicholson@jawis.org.