Starting Early

Elementary school students will be reading, writing, doing math and - of course - preparing for the dreaded FCAT this year.

But they will also be learning about the role of families in the local economy, economic and business resources, career opportunities and economic development. The students, including kindergarteners, will be participating in Junior Achievement, which is being offered in some Highlands County elementaries for the first time.

Founded in 1919, Junior Achievement Inc. is a not-for-profit organization financed by businesses, foundations and individuals. The purpose of JA is to educate and inspire young people to value free enterprise, business and economics to improve the quality of their lives.

Lily Romine, executive director of Junior Achievement of West Central Florida Inc., and Marci Miller, education manager for Polk and Highlands counties, led a training session for volunteers earlier this month at South Florida Community College.

"We really believe that the earlier we start with children to understand how to be a good consumer, about school is your first job so work really hard and education is really important," Romine said. "We really think it gets them on the right track right from the start."

Each grade level has a different curriculum.

The curriculum for kindergarteners is called "Learning About Ourselves," which goes into the economic role of individuals. In one of the sessions, there is a story about Angie, who wants to make something to sell at the school's fall carnival. She decides to make bookmarks.

"We're going to talk a lot about money and how you can earn money," Romine said.

During the training session Romine told the volunteers "to be yourself."

"The students are really excited to have you there and as long as you have looked over the material, you understand the material, you are going to do a great job," she said. "I want you to have as much fun as the students."

She noted that the teachers stay in the classroom during the sessions. JA volunteers don't handle discipline, that's the teacher's job, Romine said.

JA has started at Cracker Trail, Sun 'N Lake and Lake Placid Elementary schools. The Kindergarten Learning Center in Sebring is probably going to use the program as well.

Fred Wild and Memorial Elementary are recruiting volunteers, Romine said.

The program is being used in the first and fourth grades at Sun 'N Lake. Millie Anderson, the resource teacher at Sun 'N Lake, said she is familiar with JA when she taught in Broward County.

"It's very engaging for students," Anderson said. "It is something short and to the point. They learn something useful."

Cracker Trail is using the program in first through fifth grades.

"I think it is a great program," said Jodi Baker, the JA volunteer coordinator there.

Baker said the school's fifth-graders will be visiting JA BizTown in Tampa in December.

Romine explained that the classroom teachers teach a six-week curriculum to the students before they go and have an opportunity to run a business in a simulated town.

"They love it and it reinforces everything they have learned from Junior Achievement," she said. "They really leave feeling successful."

According to Romine, the goal is to have JA in every classroom in Highlands that will help recruit parents as volunteers.

Romine appreciates the support the Sebring, Lake Placid and Avon Park chambers of commerce have provided. They recruit the volunteers in the middle and high schools.

"This is truly one community that the chambers stand behind Junior Achievement," she said. "I'll say that the chambers are the link between business and the schools. Usually I say Junior Achievement is. But it's Junior Achievement's partnership with the chambers or none of this would be possible."