There is an undeniable link between education and economic opportunity, which is why for the last 15 years I’ve dedicated my time outside of my career with FMS Group, Inc. to volunteer with Junior Achievement of the Heartland in Moline, Illinois.
First, I served on the board of directors, then as a trustee, and now I serve as a teacher to mentor students.
Working so closely with the organization has shown me first-hand how proper skills training leads to empowerment, and how that empowerment builds confidence to succeed both inside and outside of the classroom. That’s why I’m excited that Arby’s Foundation is now supporting Junior Achievement as one of its national partners.
Together we are truly a dream team on a mission to build career readiness opportunities and support youth leadership. I’m really excited to see how we will to find ways to stay relevant and innovative to meet the needs of students – especially in the next year as the Junior Achievement organization turns 100-years-old.
One program to keep an eye on will be 3DE, Junior Achievement’s fully immersive school-within-a-school program that brings real world connectivity into the everyday academic experience, creating a highly engaging, relevant learning environment. By mirroring the school’s range of academic levels and socio-economic demographics, 3DE is able to tailor student learning to individual students in a deeply immersive and integrated way. And through Arby’s Foundation’s support, Junior Achievement hopes to implement 3DE in 55 schools across seven states in just five years — an accomplishment that would impact 22,000 students.
This is certainly an exciting time to get involved in building our leaders of tomorrow. Knowing that Arby’s Foundation is side-by-side with Junior Achievement in shaping the programs that I’m passionate about has fueled my involvement and brought my volunteer work closer to my day-to-day work with Arby’s.
If you are a parent, a student or just someone who wants to become involved in something worthwhile for your community, check out Junior Achievement’s website at JuniorAchievement.org to learn how together we are inspiring and preparing young people to succeed.
