Suit Up. It’s Game Time!
Volunteers Help Level the Playing Field of Life By Giving Back
Kelsey Matzinger
JA USA
Marketing and PR Manager
“Practice makes perfect.” – Benjamin Franklin
This is a quote we have heard from the time we were little even into adulthood. If you were an athlete, you heard it from your coaches, support staff, and parents. Now imagine this quote never existed and instead read, “Good luck. I hope it works out for you.” No one explained the rules of the game. No practice. No game plan. No coaches. Just go out there and do your best, kid, but your best wasn’t good enough. It would be unfair, but nobody would blame the player. They would blame the circumstances.
Now, imagine a world where no one explains the rules of the game of life. No one explains the rules. No discussions of how money works. No game plan for how education supports your future job or career. And certainly, no coaching about how to start or run a business. We’re told just go out there and do your best, kid. But our best isn’t good enough. We’re unprepared for the game. This time, though, people blame the player. Not the circumstances. A more fitting saying would be, “it’s a dog-eat-dog world”. The reality is that in sports, athletes are never asked to go into a game unprepared, but in life, we are not only asked, but expected to just figure it out as we go along…until now
Volunteers like Beta Gamma Sigma (BGS) members and alumni are the game-changers!
They are the “players” that ignite those around them to do better and be better. They are the players that change the “on court” or “on field” energy that’s a spark plug and leads the team to victory. They are the ones that young people need. The next generation needs someone who will share their personal and professional experiences and skills to help them make the connection between what they learn in school and life outside the classroom. Someone they can relate to and yet aspire to be. They need the mentors and role models most of us had as kids.
A GAME-CHANGING EXPERIENCE!
Our research shows that most students who have experienced JA go on to have a greater belief in self and sense of purpose. They report higher levels of career satisfaction, confidence in managing money, and willingness to start and run a business.
JA and BGS share the passion to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in life beyond the classroom or lecture hall. Junior Achievement has more than 100 locations across the nation that are dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their futures, and make smart academic and economic choices. JA’s learning experiences, along with its volunteers, ignite the spark in young people to experience and realize the opportunities and realities of work and life in the 21st century.
“Our chapter had a phenomenal experience. The students were very attentive and engaged and learned about business and economic concepts such as entrepreneurship, financial literacy and career success. As business students, we were able to incorporate our knowledge and personal experiences into the lessons to have more of an impact.”
Chanece Bigelow, North Carolina A&T State University
Building and maintaining a collegiate chapter culture can be a challenge. Through this partnership, each BGS chapter can invest in creating a culture where its members and alumni can connect with each other and with a greater sense of purpose.
We at Junior Achievement USA are proud to be a partner with Beta Gamma Sigma, the International Business Honor Society. We are featured on the BGS Gives Back page and volunteering for JA has been promoted in BGS communications, conferences and events.
We invite you to rewrite that game plan of young people’s lives and be the coach you needed to succeed by exploring local volunteer opportunities! JA volunteers can work with their local JA Area office to review the various learning experiences which include volunteer engagement with students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Volunteers can choose from one or multi-visit experiences, varied time commitments, as well as connecting with students virtually or in-person. JA volunteers are provided with training and access to JA curriculum, materials, and resources to support our financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship programs.
“Through JA I had the opportunity to teach business to fifth- and sixth-graders—even when I was only 17. It gave me a love for business and is the reason I ended up in business school later. I cannot think of a more worthy business-related cause to support than
Junior Achievement.”
Craig Mathews, Raleigh/Durham Alumni Chapter
So, whether you choose to volunteer for one day or many, there are many opportunities for you to find the best way to engage with students. They need your support. Suit up. It’s game time.
To learn more about Junior Achievement, visit www.JA.org/Volunteer.
To locate the JA Area office nearest your geographic location, visit: https://jausa.ja.org/about/locations