Junior Achievement of the Heartland (JA) is seeking volunteers to help in classrooms for the fall semester. There are positions open to community members in almost 60 classrooms in the Rock Island and Scott Counties, as well as other surrounding areas.
JA is a non-profit organization that offers programming for students in grades K-12. The curriculum emphasizes career readiness and financial literacy.
Volunteers receive training in JA programming and visit schools to share the lessons and their own experiences with students. In most cases, volunteers are expected to commit to five lessons, each lasting around 45 minutes. Volunteers can collaborate with JA and teachers to find a schedule that best fits their needs.
Senior Vice President of Education Tawyna Hambly said that having volunteers through JA allows young people the opportunity to connect with members of their community while learning from new backgrounds and perspectives.
"The real magic behind Junior Achievement is our volunteers, to be quite honest," Hambly said. "The programs that we offer to the schools, they align to state and national standards that educators need to meet when it comes to personal finance and career readiness. But what we hear from our educators is they love having the volunteers from the community come into the classroom because they're that outside voice."
Community members of all backgrounds are welcome to register. Those interested in volunteering can sign up for available classes on JA Heartland's website.
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