Volunteers from Baptist recently visited Junior Achievement’s (JA) downtown headquarters during United Way of the Mid-South’s Day of Caring in September.
As part of their commitment to serving the community, the volunteers painted exterior walls, trimmed and spruced up landscaping, and updated Baptist’s shop in JA BizTown, an interactive town simulation for area elementary school students. Approximately 13 Baptist team members volunteered.
During the day, volunteers also cleared debris from the alley and painted over graffiti on the building. They cleaned up the landscaping around the parking lot and facility so the space is welcoming for thousands of school children each year. Baptist team members also repainted the Baptist Health shop and prepped it for a facelift.
JA’s programs focus on work readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy. JA BizTown is a unique program designed for fourth-sixth graders that combines in-class learning with a daylong visit to a fully interactive simulated town facility.
JA BizTown helps students connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world. This capstone program helps students understand the value of money, see the connection between learning and earning, and gain the ability to work cooperatively in business teams.
“It was great to have such a large group of positive people come revamp both the inside and outside of Junior Achievement. It’s a great pleasure for all of us here to see how the people of our community are willing to volunteer for our nonprofit,” said Alison Welch, JA BizTown manager.