WHAT: “JA Career Day” is a special Junior Achievement delivery method of our elementary, middle, and high school targeted programs.

Typically, JA programs are done in 5 to 7 classroom visits with one lesson per visit. JA Career Day is different from other JA programs only in that the entire JA program is covered in the course of one day in the school.

Like all JA programs, business volunteers involved in this program help to educate and inspire youth about free enterprise, business, and economics.

At the end of the JA Career Day event, students will have completed all of the JA lessons and will have earned their JA certificate. Classes can be conducted at any grade level, Kindergarten through 12th grade.

WHY: Some volunteers prefer the JA Career Day program delivery method – especially when it is difficult to schedule multiple visits to a classroom.

Corporate Groups often find the JA Career Day concept fits well with their company’s volunteer policies, for example if employees are limited to one day of volunteering or must arrange to volunteer in a designated “Community Service Day.”

WHO & WHERE: A group of volunteers from a particular company, a service club or a chamber of commerce may have a target school in mind to stage a JA Career Day event.

Often, parent and volunteer led JA programs find traction quickly in a school – other examples of groups that lead JA Career Day events include PTA’s, PSO’s, School Improvement Councils, Room Parents, and School Guidance Departments.   

HOW: The Specific Volunteer Opportunities List on the JA of Coastal SC website, www.JACoastalSC.org indicates if a school has invited volunteers for a JA Career Day event. Often, one or more grade levels at a school will have JA Career Day – sometimes the Entire School!

The JA of Coastal SC Staff is ready and willing to facilitate a JA Career Day event with any school within our 9 county Coastal SC service area.   

VOLUNTEER TRAINING is provided to ensure each member of the group is ready to maximize the JA Career Day event! Please visit www.JA.org for grade specific JA programs info.

JA of Coastal SC’s Responsibilities: 

JA staff will work with the company / group coordinator to: identify the target school, schedule the date & times, match volunteers with classes, and train volunteers on their grade specific program materials. Online training is also available should all members of a group not be able to attend the scheduled group training.

JA Staff will also work with the target school to: coordinate the date for the program, arrange a teaching schedule for the day, prepare the teachers for what to expect, and arrange for appropriate school accommodations for volunteers during the day of the program. A JA Staff Member will be present at the school the entire day of the scheduled event to answer questions, coordinate logistics and help ensure the success of the event.

Company / Group Responsibilities: 

The Company will identify a Volunteer Coordinator who will lead the recruiting and signing up volunteers, maintain communication with JA staff, schedule the JA volunteer training session, and make arrangements for transportation if necessary on the day of the event. The Volunteer Coordinator will also adequately communicate to the volunteers the importance of attending the full JA Career Day program.

** To help ensure the event’s success and no classroom of students will be left without a volunteer on the day of the event, the Volunteer Coordinator will schedule several “back-ups” who can cover for a volunteer who has a sudden change of plans and cannot fulfill his/ her commitment.  

School’s Responsibilities: 

The school will identify a liaison to work with JA staff.

The school liaison will: facilitate teacher requests, maintain communication with JA staff, schedule the teacher training date, and arrange for appropriate classroom and break room accommodations for the volunteers.
 

Sample JA Career Day Elementary School Schedule: 
(classrooms are pre-assigned & mapped)

7:30 am Volunteers Check-In at Front Office for ID Tags

7:45 am School Media Center (aka Library) for Last Minute Instructions

8am to Class Lunch & Recess (typically 11ish) - Lessons 1 through 5

After Class Lunch – Finish Lesson 5, Class “Graduation” with JA Certificates Awarded

12:30 – 1pm Volunteer Lunch and Debriefing Session

*** Some schools elect to continue a typical “special area” schedule (Art, Music, etc.) and this variable will be taken into account on final schedules for each classroom.   

FOR MORE INFO, CONTACT: 
Pam Bailey or Abigail Kessinger, JA of Coastal SC Program Managers 

843.745.7050 office | 843.745.7070 fax