From Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee:



Oliver Middle School students spent all day Monday learning about capital resources, imports and exports, the importance of budgeting, and the characteristics of entrepreneurs. They studied foreign currency, created business plans, set personal budgets and crafted résumés. Students learned all of this not from their teachers, but from businesspeople.



More than 60 employees from 23 area companies took over the school on December 17th, leading interactive programming on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship through a JA in a Day event hosted by Junior Achievement of Middle Tennessee.



“JA in a day at Oliver Middle School is a wonderful day for our students. Students get to play math games and make advertisements for products, which helps develop critical thinking skills and stimulates their creativity. Students also get to know a variety of community professionals who are interested in furthering students’ educations in unique and thoughtful ways. Thank you, Junior Achievement,” said Linda Latter, Counselor at Oliver Middle.

Dr. Susan Kessler (center), JA Associate Board Member and Executive Principal at Hunter’s Lane High School, and Andrew Davis (right), Assistant Principal at Hunter’s Lane High School, volunteer at Oliver Middle School.

Junior Achievement provides hands-on programming that connects what students are learning in the classroom to the real-world. Offered to students in Kindergarten through high school, JA programs combine discussions and group activities into lessons that help students understand the important role education plays in a successful future.



JA in a Day combines all six lessons of JA’s middle school programming into one day, instead of spreading the lessons out over several weeks. Having dedicated volunteers take over the entire school ensured all 860 students in the Metro Nashville school received the lessons at the same time on the same day.



JA of Middle Tennessee President Trent Klingensmith said, “Being able to reach every student in four grades with JA’s message of financial responsibility and workplace skills is incredible. As an organization, Junior Achievement is grateful to the volunteers who helped inspire hundreds of students at Oliver Middle to take the steps today that will lead to success in life and the workplace down the road.”



Several volunteers participating in Oliver’s JA in a Day were JA Board Members. Associate Board Member Jaclyn Carney of Radsource had a great experience. She said, “my teaching partner and I spent the day with a great group of 23 eighth graders...this day was so rewarding as it allowed me the opportunity to engage with the next generation and challenge them to start thinking about what it means to own their own economic success. The lessons and activities provided to us by JA were visibly impactful as they empowered these students to open their minds, think about their future, and begin the important journey of self-discovery. From evaluating their own skills, values, and interests in thinking about future career options, to balancing a budget, to understanding the difference between credit and cash, the value of education, and many things in between, I feel as though each student walked away from this JA in a Day experience with an increased level of self knowledge and the important foundation from which to build upon their own economic success. I am confident that because of JA in a Day, each of these 23 students were exposed to priceless lessons that challenged them to think outside the walls of their eighth grade classroom and dream big!”



The teachers and students at Oliver Middle School are no strangers to JA volunteer experiences. This marked the fourth year in a row the school has opened its doors to host a whole-school JA in a Day event for its middle schoolers.



Junior Achievement hosts other JA in a Day programs throughout Middle Tennessee. Companies and schools interested in participating should contact JA Director of Programs Andy Schenck at 615.627.1186 or andys@janash.com.