February 2026

Hello JA Advocates,


February is a month all about love—and here at Junior Achievement, we’re celebrating the love you show our students every time you volunteer, mentor, or give. Your involvement helps young people gain the skills and confidence to build lives full of choices—not limitations.


What if every young person in our community had the real‑world skills, exposure, and support they need to access long‑term opportunity? At JA, that’s the future we’re working toward every day.


By partnering directly with schools, we equip students with the levers that matter most: financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. And because volunteers like you bring these lessons to life, students build essential skills—communication, collaboration, adaptability, and critical thinking—while seeing real careers in action.


Across South Central and Southwestern Wisconsin, your support helps us deliver hands‑on experiences that connect early exposure, skill‑building, and real‑world application. These are the moments that empower young people to earn, save, invest, and build futures defined by choice, not circumstance.


This Valentine’s season, we invite you to keep spreading that impact:


  • Volunteer: Your presence shows students that their futures are worth the investment.
  • Mentor: Your story can spark a student's confidence.
  • Give: Even a small contribution expands access to JA programs.


Junior Achievement is inspiring real skills for real life — and your partnership makes that possible.


👉 VOLUNTEER NOW!

👉 DONATE NOW!


Your involvement—whether through time, talent, or treasure—creates brighter futures for students across Wisconsin. Thank you for being part of this incredible journey


Wishing you a year of purpose and impact,

Lori Astell

Director – South Central Region

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin
 

Upcoming JA Volunteer Opportunities


Junior Achievement has several upcoming opportunities for volunteers to inspire students and bring learning to life. Take a look at the current openings below and find the one that fits your schedule and interests!


*Don’t see an opportunity that fits right now? More volunteer spots will be available as semester progresses.


Spring Classroom Programming:

1st and 2nd- MCPASD Northside Elementary

2nd - Chavez MMSD (ASAP)

2nd- Mount Horeb (6 classes) (mid-April)

2nd - Sun Prairie Horizon Elementary (April)

3rd - Crestwood MMSD (March)

4th - (3 classes) Johnson Creek Elementary (February/March)

6th - Economics for Success - Mt Horeb (April)

K, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 5th Grade - Rock County Christian Elementary School (March)


SIGN ME UP!

Event:

Titan Business Challenge (at Madison College, Truax Campus) - High School - March 4, 2026


Experiential Learning Center:

BizTown (at JA Milwaukee Campus) - 6th grade - May 5, 2026 (10 volunteers needed! Great opportunity to bring a corporate team!)


Curriculum Feature:

JA BizTown® combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town. This popular learning experience allows elementary school students to operate banks, manage restaurants, write checks, and vote for mayor. Students are able to connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world.


Following participation in the learning experience, students will be able to:

-- Discuss the roles they play as citizens, workers, and consumers in their community and relate those roles to the free enterprise system.

-- Discuss the importance of citizen rights and responsibilities in a community.

-- Demonstrate a basic understanding of the free enterprise system.

-- Build money management skills through a practical knowledge of economic concepts and banking practices.

-- Develop an understanding of basic business practices and responsibilities.

-- Display the soft skills necessary for successful participation in the world of work.

JA Mission Possible: Your Adventure Begins March 10!


JA Mission Possible is back—and this year, your adventure does even more!


This 10‑day virtual team‑building challenge pulls colleagues and friends together for fun, creative missions completed through the GooseChase app. It’s a high‑energy mix of teamwork, friendly competition, and real impact—all designed to strengthen the volunteer pipeline that brings JA programs to life.



You and your team will complete missions, earn points, unlock surprises, and compete for prizes—all while discovering how JA empowers young people with the financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship skills they need for work and life. But the experience goes even deeper: JA Mission Possible is also your kickoff to becoming a JA classroom volunteer, the mentors who make real‑world learning possible for students across our region.


Why Join the Mission?


By participating, you’ll:

  • Explore Your Impact — See firsthand how volunteers change the trajectory of a classroom.
  • Choose Your Adventure — Complete as many or as few missions as you’d like.
  • Build Team Connection — A fun, flexible activity for teams both in‑person and remote.
  • Compete for Bragging Rights — Top‑scoring teams win the Mission Possible
  • Prize Pack!
  • Take the First Step into Volunteering — Learn just how easy and meaningful it is to serve as a JA mentor.


Teams Are Forming Now!

Grab 3–4 colleagues, coworkers, or friends and join the challenge together.

This is the perfect chance to bond, laugh, and do something fun and meaningful as a team. If you’ve ever thought about volunteering—or want a low‑pressure way to dip your toes in—this adventure is for you.


Event Details

  • When: March 10–19, 2026
  • Where: Virtual — Teams can join from anywhere
  • Cost: Free
  • Awards: Prize packages for the highest‑scoring teams
  • 

How It Works

  1. Scan the QR code to download the GooseChase app.
  2. Join the game: JA Mission Possible.
  3. Build or join a team (4–5 recommended).
  4. Complete missions at your own pace during the 10‑day event.



What You’ll Do

  • Tackle creative, team‑building challenges with coworkers or friends.
  • See how JA mentors support classrooms and inspire real‑world learning.
  • Learn how YOU can become a JA volunteer after the event.
  • Have fun while making a meaningful impact on young people in our community.


Join us for an engaging, energizing experience that strengthens teams—and helps ensure every student who wants a JA volunteer can have one.


Your mission starts HERE!

Rate Your JA Experience


⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


"Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to teach JA: Our Nation at RCCS. 

I thoroughly enjoyed doing so and the students seemed to have fun. 

I’m hoping to be able to do this next year and in the coming years also, so I become an expert in the presentation."


Jaime, a first-time volunteer


5 STAR SERVICE

We need your "Yelp"-style review!


Help us spread the word about how incredible volunteering with Junior Achievement really is — and don’t hold back! (Go ahead and gush — we’re excited to hear what you love most!”) Share your favorite part, and we’ll feature some highlights in our e-newsletters and on social media!
Share Your JA Volunteer Review

What's Happening at Junior Achievement?
 

Cheers for Community Heroes!


We extend our heartfelt thanks to the Oregon-Brooklyn Memorial VFW Post 10272 for their generous donation supporting the Oregon Area School District. Your contribution directly benefited a number of schools, helping ensure students have access to high‑quality, hands‑on learning experiences through Junior Achievement. Because of your support, more young people will gain essential life skills—including financial literacy, workforce readiness, and entrepreneurship—that empower them to succeed in school and beyond. Your commitment to strengthening our community and investing in the next generation truly exemplifies the VFW’s spirit of service.



Volunteer? Tell me more...


Junior Achievement (JA) empowers students by connecting classroom learning to real-world experiences. As a volunteer, you’ll help inspire young people to dream big and prepare for success.


Classroom Programs

  • Teach interactive lessons on financial literacy, entrepreneurship, and career readiness.
  • Time Commitment: Typically, 1–5 hours, depending on whether you lead a single session or a full series. Training and materials are provided. Scheduling is flexible: dates are coordinated between the volunteer and the educator to find a time that works for both.

Events

  • Share your expertise as a career speaker (usually 30–60 minutes), help at job fairs (half-day), or support simulations like JA Titan and the JA Stock Market Challenge (usually 3–4 hours).
  • Time Commitment: Most events are half-day or single-day experiences.

Experiential Learning Centers

  • Immerse students in real-world scenarios at JA BizTown or JA Finance Park, where they manage budgets and run businesses.
  • Time Commitment: Typically, 4–6 hours for a full day, with flexible scheduling options. **Great for a corporate team!!


Your time and expertise make a lasting impact—helping students see what’s possible for their future!

Amazon Wish List


Can’t volunteer at the moment? You can still make a real impact by choosing something from our JA South Central wish list. Your purchase helps equip the team and events that deliver hands‑on learning, career exploration, and financial literacy to local students.

Wish List

Looking Ahead: Upcoming Events 



Please, let us know if you would like to volunteer this year:

VOLUNTEER NOW!
 

Have Questions?

Contact:

Christine Myers

608-288-8201 ext 102

cmyers@jawis.org



Sandy Wareing

608-288-8201 ext 103

swareing@jawis.org

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Junior Achievement of Wisconsin | 2800 Royal Ave Ste 207 | Monona, WI 53713 US

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