15 years ago, Lindsey Smedley began volunteering with Junior Achievers (JA) after being inspired by her father who was a volunteer with the organization for over a decade.
As a graduate of East High, she chose to volunteer and support the district in which she grew up. One of the first schools she volunteered in was Poyner Elementary, where her two daughters attended. Now, she volunteers at Central Middle School helping to share business lessons with the students.
“I think volunteering really opens up your eyes to what our teachers experience every day,” said Smedley. “It creates a different sense of purpose, relating to kids, bringing in your own experiences, and connecting with students at various ages. Overall it fosters a real sense of community.”
According to Smedley, JA’s mission is to inspire and prepare students for success. Many JA mentors volunteer their time to help teach the dedicated curriculum in the classrooms about topics such as personal finance, the global economy, and the importance of local community building.
With JA volunteer mentors in 216 Waterloo Schools, JA is searching for more business professionals to volunteer in 2023 for kindergarten through third grade, sixth grade, and seventh-grade classrooms.
Smedley says the overall time commitment is manageable with only one to two hours a week for a five to six-week program.
“JA gives you all the materials, plus they’re always available for guidance and to answer volunteer questions,” said Smedley. “With JA I feel like communications are always open and I’m given all the tools I need.”
After a decade and a half of volunteering with the organization, Smedley says she’s still just as eager to get back into the classroom and connect with kids today as she was back then. For new potential volunteers, she says it can be helpful to connect with veteran volunteers.
“Don’t hesitate to reach out to other volunteers to help flesh out ideas or talk through scenarios,” said Smedley. “Connecting with each other is a great resource for encouragement, support, and guidance.”
For those interested in becoming a volunteer mentor, JA recommends signing up on their website where new volunteers can share which areas they may prefer to volunteer with in addition to any school or grade preferences.
