JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT SENDS BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS BACK TO SCHOOL

 Local businesspeople take JA entrepreneurship, work readiness and
financial literacy programs to the classroom.

San Antonio, TX – Across the community, kids of all ages are heading back to school. At the same time, many businesspeople are preparing to do the same—as Junior Achievement volunteers.

Each year, business professionals, parents, retirees and college students in San Antonio help students in Junior Achievement programs develop the skills they need to succeed in a competitive economy. Using their personal experiences in combination with JA’s innovative, age-appropriate curricula, these volunteers teach young people about entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. For example, third-grade students learn about careers and how businesses contribute to their community in Junior Achievement’s Our City^® program, and high school students learn about budgeting and investing through Junior Achievement’s program, JA Personal Finance^®.

 “Volunteers are the heart of Junior Achievement, helping the organization empower young people to own their economic success. They inspire our children to discover their potential and find their niches in the 21^st-century global marketplace,” said Joe Burke, president of JA of South Texas. “Without volunteers’ dedication and excellence, JA would not be able to provide the positive impact it has on the local community.  This year we aim to reach 75,000 students with the community’s support.”

Junior Achievement of South Texas is currently seeking volunteers for this year’s programs. JA offers programs from kindergarten through 12th grade and orients volunteers on how to utilize the user-friendly materials and work with students. Time commitments are typically one visit per week over the course of between five and seven weeks.  Those interested in volunteering for JA of South Texas should contact JA staff by phone at 210-490-2007 or visit the website at www.jast.org.