Volunteers teach courses in various participating schools at different grade levels to bring the JA message to students in a unique teaching partnership.

“It’s basically about how to manage their own money,” said Sands.  “It doesn’t matter if someone earns a lot of money or a very little amount of money. If you don’t know how to manage your money, you’re not going to have any. If students are interested in starting their own business, we kind of teach them how that works as well.”

Cutbacks in school subjects makes the prospect of allowing qualified business professional teach the various courses attractive to some school districts.  With school districts required to offer academic programs and common core considerations, finding available time in the school day can be a problem for some schools.

JA has offered a growing number of programs in recent years.  In the 2010-11 school year, there were 14 classes serving 260; during 2013-14, there were 30 JA classes and a total of 449 students; and in the current school year, Sands said JA plans to hold 33 JA classes serving 477 students.

“The programs are times to fit the constraints of one class period,” said Sands.  “I talk to schools and let them know about the programs, and the schools will select a few programs or however many they would like to do. I try to identify volunteers, folks who are willing to go into the classroom.  We provide all of the materials and the lesson plans. I go over those with the volunteers, and they go in and actually teach those lessons.”

Additional volunteers are still needed to teach JA classes in elementary, middle, and high schools.  Sands emphasizes that teaching experience is not necessary and the teacher’s guide in curriculum is very easy to follow and training is provided.

Nine counties are in the district covered by Sands, including Clarion, Jefferson, Clearfield, Centre, Elk, Cameron, McKean, Tioga, and Potter. Sands was a volunteer for two years before joining the staff for the last three years.  He estimates there are about 200 volunteers in the district and 60 in the local area.  Sands is also following in the footsteps of Clarion County Commissioner Butch Campbell who worked several years for JA.

Increasing student knowledge of business, economics, and free enterprise is now an international task, with JA rated as the world’s largest and fastest growing organization devoted to those principles.

“The organization started in New York in 1919 with the simple purpose of teaching kids about business,” said Sands. “There were a lot of kids coming into the urban areas from rural settings at that time, and a few folks got together and decided they needed to teach how business worked. The first chapter was in Pittsburgh in 1939, and its national headquarters is now in Colorado Springs.  Pennsylvania offices are also in Pittsburgh, Erie, and Johnstown.”

Theodore Vail, president of American Telephone & Telegraph; Horace Moses, president of Strathmore Paper Co.; and Senator Murray Crane of Massachusetts were some of the 1919 founders. JA’s first program, “The Company Program,” was offered to high school students on an after-school basis.

Acknowledging an ongoing financial crisis, JA wants to do a better job of educating kids about effective money management.  Financial literacy education is a requirement in Pennsylvania, but additional funding is generally not provided.

“Financially literate individuals are more likely to be self-supporting, are able to prepare for financial setbacks and improve their standard of living through wise spending, saving, planning and investing,” said Sands. “It gives kids a greater understanding of the world and clearer expectations for the future and helps young people identify possible future career choices.”

Reaching All Ages

Elementary School Programs include six sequential themes for kindergarten through fifth-grade students.

Second graders are introduced to “Our Community” which explores the interdependent roles of workers in a community through hands-on activities, and students learn why workers are paid, what taxes are, and how they are used and where to save money.

Third graders explore “Our City” with careers, the skills people need to work in specific careers, and how businesses contribute to a city.

Fourth graders move on to “Our Region” and are introduced to the relationship between the natural, human, and capital resources found in different regions and explore regional businesses that produce goods and services for consumers.

Fifth graders study “Our Nation” with practical information about businesses’ needs for individuals who can meet the demands of the job market, including high-growth, high-demand jobs.

Middle grade programs include economics and business curricula, looking at careers in energy, the global marketplace, and economics for success.

High school programs in grades 9-12 include economic and business curricula, each with eight hands-on activities.  The goal of the programs is to help students make informed, intelligent decisions about their future and foster skills that will be highly useful in the world of work.

“It’s a really great program,” said Sands.  “The kids have a lot of fun with it, the volunteers get a lot out of it themselves, and it’s a good way to help prepare our youth for life after high school.  Give them the tools and keys that they need to succeed and kind of own their financial success in their lives.”

Costs of the program materials are earned through local fund drives, foundation grants, Education Improvement Tax Credits (EITC), special events like bowl-a-thons, golf events, etc., and financial support from school districts.