News : LOCAL STUDENTS CONNECT TO THE WORKPLACE THROUGH JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT

Jeff Peterson, Vinton Lions Club presents Barb Rawson, Junior Achievement with a donation for JA

Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa is proud to announce the addition of economic education programs into Vinton-Shellsburg High School and Benton Community High School. This addition was helped made possible by a generous donation from the Vinton Lions Club.

Junior Achievement is working in partnership with every school district in Benton County to provide economic education curriculum for students. During the 2011-2012 school year over 1,300 Benton County students in 65 different classes will participate in Junior Achievement classroom programming.

Junior Achievement provides educational programming and coordinates over 50 community volunteers to deliver programs that teach Kindergarten through twelfth grade Benton County students’ age-appropriate, hands-on lessons about work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. Volunteers visit the classroom and lead the five, six or seven sessions while interacting with students and educators, sharing business knowledge and real-life experiences that relate to our programming lessons.

For students in kindergarten through fifth-grade, the elementary school programs teach the basic concepts of business and economics. For middle school students in sixth, seventh, eighth, practical problem-solving activities help these students develop the skills and attitudes needed for success. Students use their creativity and critical thinking skills to explore various aspects of business through activities that reinforce economic concepts taught in social studies, career, and life skills electives. Junior Achievement’s high school programs offer practical, real-world skills to prepare high school students for the world of business and to inspire them take the next step into undergraduate academic programs, Junior Achievement students have greater business acumen, are better prepared for work, demonstrate entrepreneurial spirit through innovation and initiative and have a solid grasp of the life skills necessary for success.

To learn more about Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, the programs offered and volunteer opportunities contact Barb Rawson at 319.540.5694 or brawson@JAEasternIowa.org

About Junior Achievement

Junior Achievement empowers young people to own their economic success. Our volunteer-delivered, K-12 programs foster work-readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy skills, and use experiential learning to inspire kids to dream big and reach their potential. Through Junior Achievement, students learn how they can impact the world around them as individuals, workers and consumers while inspiring and preparing them to succeed in a global economy. Locally, 39,331 students participate in the programs throughout its ten county footprint, representing 43.42% market share.

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Photo 2 A Vinton-Shellsburg High School class participates in the JA Careers with a Purpose Class where students learn the importance of seeking careers that help then realize their life potential and noble purpose. The program demonstrates the importance of positive values, life maxims, and ethical-making within the context of career and life decisions.

Photo 3 Jeff Peterson teaches the JA Titan class at Vinton-Shellsburg High School where students make critical economics and management decisions through an interactive computer simulation. This class provides students with the opportunity to develop the concepts of teamwork, critical thinking and strategy development.