A renowned business education program has evolved to include the next generation of entrepreneurs but to ensure its success organizers need some local people to volunteer their expertise.
Junior Achievement of Southern Alberta will be offering its popular Economics of Staying in School program to Grade 9 students at John Paul II Collegiate on March 7 and regional coordinator Timmi Shorr said she is hoping to tap into local volunteers to help with the program.
“We would love to get more volunteers involved in facilitating the program in Okotoks schools,” said Shorr. “We look at our volunteers as working partners and people here know about Junior Achievement and they know its value.”
Most people know about Junior Achievement’s high school program where students develop their own business. However, the Junior Achievement program is reaching out to students at a younger age beginning in Grade 4.
Shorr said the goal is to get children exposed to Junior Achievement at a young age and continue to work with them throughout their schooling including the Economics of Staying in School and Economics for Success programs which are offered to students in Grade 9.
Shorr described the Economics of Staying in School program as a does of reality for youth who are already beginning to look at their career and post-secondary education options.
“It is a hands on reality check,” she said. “We are not a career counselor, but we get them thinking about what it costs to live nowadays. We don’t want to scare them but it is a does of reality and the importance of staying in school.”
According to Junior Achievement students will explore and manage their job and career choices by focusing on the direct links between further education and personal goals.
With the help of business volunteers, students explore the relationships of these four concepts: Success, Balance, Discovery and Planning.
Students who participate in the program will take on a number of scenarios including a game of Price is Right where students will learn the actual price of goods on supermarket shelves. They will also break into groups and develop a budget based on real costs, they will then be given a job card which could be anything from a plumber to a lawyer to a cook at a pizza parlour and they will have to make choices to live within their budget.
“These are hands on life lessons,” said Shorr. “This teaches children to set their goals and it also tells them the importance of life-long learning and education.”
The Junior Achievement program has been presented at other schools in he region including Heritage Heights and Okotoks Junior High School. To ensure the continued success of the program Shorr said she needs to secure additional volunteers.
Shorr stressed volunteers do not have to be lawyers or own large business — anyone who has had o balance a cheque book in these trying economic times is qualified to participate and certainly has some wisdom to bestow the students.
“We are looking for a real cross-section to help mentor these kids,” said Shorr. “We want these kids to have someone in the community who they can go to and ask questions.”
Shorr said ideally potential volunteers should be good communicator, enjoy a high energy atmosphere and working with children.
Shorr also said she is hoping to attract enough volunteers so they cannot only be mentors to the students but also develop into mentors for new volunteers down the road as Junior Achievement continues to grow.
For more information on Junior Achievement or to become a volunteer contact Timmi Shorr at Tel: 403-237-JAJA (5252) or e-mail: [email protected]
