Volunteering Today Makes Lifetime of Difference

Author: JA Lincoln
Community Involvement
Published: Monday, 01 Mar 2021

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We’ve seen the statistics, and they’re startling:

63% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck (Highlands Solutions)
69% have less than $1,000 in savings (GoBanking Rates)
45% of new businesses fail in the first five years (Bureau of Labor Statistics)
27% of college graduates find work in a field related to their major (Federal Reserve Bank of New York)

The problems can seem overwhelming, but Junior Achievement is working every day to be part of the solution. That’s why, when you become a Junior Achievement classroom volunteer, you truly are helping to build a better future. JA addresses these challenges by promoting economic empowerment through education. Our research shows that students who have been through our educational experiences:

Credit JA for their career choices
Are more confident in managing money
Are more likely to have started, owned, or partnered in a business
Have a higher level of educational attainment than the general public
Have a greater sense of self-confidence and self-belief

But don’t take our word for it! We asked some of our wonderful JA of Lincoln classroom volunteers why they keep coming back. Randy Bretz is a longtime volunteer who has impacted countless students, and here’s what he had to say.

"Hey Bretz . . . I’m on the road so much that I can’t represent Nelnet on the JA Board. Would you be interested in taking over that responsibility?"

It’s hard for me to say no, so I told Scott that I would. I thought JA was something that high school kids did after school. I had no idea of the incredible content that was delivered in hundreds of classrooms across Lincoln and out into other communities.

In the more than a dozen years I’ve served on the JA Board, I’ve also taught 3, 4 or 5 classes each year. My very favorite spot is in front of Julie Wisdom’s 6th grade class at Cathedral. Not only have I been teaching about the Global Marketplace in Julie’s classroom, the two of us have become friends as well. You develop a special relationship when you return to the same classroom year after year.

Research tells us that any time an adult, other than the teacher, steps into a classroom . . . they make a positive impact on the grades of the students. Think of it, all you have to do is teach a single JA class, and you help students do better. Happy anniversary JA Lincoln, thanks for giving me a chance to help students not only get better grades, but to understand our world.

-Randy Bretz, JA Board Member

Right now, we’re looking for volunteers for more than 100 local classes. You pick a school and schedule that works for you, we give you the training and materials, and you make a difference! To learn more or to become a volunteer for one of these classes, email Rachel at rmurray@jalincoln.org or sign up online at bit.ly/JALNKEngage today!