TIME TO STEP UP. Junior Achievement of Wisconsin is in need of more volunteer mentors for the Chippewa Valley area to support K-12 youth.

Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, a nonprofit organization offering resources and volunteer opportunities to mentor youth K-12, is seeking additional volunteers to support more than 2,500 students across the Chippewa Valley.

Junior Achievement volunteering can be catered to just about any schedule, offering classroom opportunities ranging from just a single day to a few visits per month, or by offering five to seven weekly classroom lessons over the course of two months. Another options is for groups of volunteers to share the classroom visits, with Junior Achievement providing volunteers with lessons, materials, and training to do so.

“Volunteers are critical to the success of Junior Achievement programs. By sharing their personal and professional experiences, volunteers connect students with the businesses in their communities and encourage them to consider careers in their own neighborhoods,” said Susan Peterson, Junior Achievement of Wisconsin’s regional director.

Mentors can choose to focus on supporting youth in either elementary, middle, or high school, as well as choose to mentor in one of three areas: financial literacy, entrepreneurship, or work readiness. Some mentoring lessons cover topics such as “JA All About Cars,” “JA BizTown,” “JA Excellence Through Ethics,” and “JA Marketing Principles,” among others.

Currently, area volunteers are needed in:

• Alma Center
• Altoona
• Augusta
• Boyceville
• Chippewa Falls
• Downsville
• Durand
• Eau Claire
• Elk Mound
• Fall Creek
• Haugen
• Knapp
• Menomonie
• Neillsville
• Rice Lake
• Spooner

To get connected and find more information on volunteering in the Chippewa Valley and surrounding areas, contact Susan Peterson (speterson@jawis.org) or Allyson Barker (abarka@jawis.org). To find more information online, visit wisconsin.ja.org and click on the Get Involved button.