The largest group of Manchester Township High School Junior Achievement volunteers to date headed to Manchester Township Elementary School (MTES) today for their next stop of the 2023-24 JA Program! Known as JA Day, the Junior Achievement Student Program led by MTHS teacher Heather Staples empowers high school students to make a difference in their communities as leaders while serving as role models to children within their school district.
Manchester's JA High School Heroes visited Manchester Township Elementary School this morning to teach age-appropriate financial literacy and entrepreneurship lessons to students in kindergarten through fifth grade. The high school volunteers, under the direction of MTHS JA Advisor and Teacher Heather Staples, could be found throughout the school leading MTES students in their classrooms where they were welcomed warmly as they taught interactive activities, games, worksheets, and more.
Students were so engaged as they made paper airplanes and played age-appropriate games with their JA Teachers while learning the lessons of the day. They laughed, listened, and learned together all from MTHS students, some of whom once sat in those same seats at MTES not so long ago!
Celeste Hardrick of Junior Achievement explains that JA High School Heroes helps students build their leadership and career skills and supports New Jersey schools and educators. The JA High School Heroes program opens other opportunities for high school students to be invited to serve as student ambassadors for JA special events, such as the NJ Business Hall of Fame, and are eligible for the annual High School Hero Scholar Award.
Be on the lookout as the school year goes on for Manchester's JA High School Heroes as they visit each of the district's elementary schools for their JA Day soon!