Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida hosted a Volunteer & Teacher Appreciation Event on May 24 at Six Bends Harley-Davidson in Fort Myers to recognize the many teachers and volunteers committed to bringing the Junior Achievement curriculum to students throughout Southwest Florida. The event featured free food, refreshments, prize drawings and an awards ceremony, which recognized the following individuals and businesses for their specific contributions: Rookie of the Year-Lee County: Barbara Chryst: Rookies of the Year-Collier County: Mark and Christine Adkins; Volunteer of the Year-Lee County: Jennifer Patterson; Volunteer of the Year-Collier County: Sandi Cox; Teacher of the Year-Lee County: Tamara Hunter; Teacher of the Year-Collier County: Kelly Wilson; Business Leader of the Year-Lee County: IBERIA Bank; and Business Leader of the Year-Collier County: The Hertz Corporation.
“Teachers and volunteers are key to bringing Junior Achievement programs to local students, and their varied skills and business experiences allow these role models to truly make an impact on our youth,” said Angela Fisher, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida, “Our mission is not possible without the generosity of our local community, sharing their time and wisdom to help prepare our students for successful futures in the workplace, and words simply cannot express how grateful our team is for their valued contributions.”
Throughout the 2015-16 school year, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida partnered with more than 150 classroom business volunteers in order to bring Junior Achievement programs to more than 8,700 students. This year’s totals are still pending, but Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida anticipates that programs will have reached more than 9,600 students during the 2016-17 school year.
Volunteer opportunities are described in detail at www.JASWFL.org, and those who are interested in learning more about becoming a volunteer can call the Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida office at 239-225-2590. To inquire about Lee County volunteer opportunities, contact Lysa Kennedy at lkennedy@jaswfl.org. For Collier County volunteer opportunities, contact John Telischak at jtelischak@jaswfl.org.
About Junior Achievement:
Junior Achievement is the world’s largest organization dedicated to giving young people the knowledge and skills they need to own their economic success, plan for their future, and make smart academic and economic choices. Junior Achievement programs are delivered by corporate and community volunteers, and provide relevant, hands-on experiences that give students from kindergarten through high school knowledge and skills in financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship. Today, JA reaches 4.8 million students per year in more than 100 markets across the United States, with an additional 5.6 million students served by operations over 100 other countries worldwide. Locally, Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida partnered with more than 150 classroom business volunteers during the 2015-2016 school year to provide more than 8,700 students with Junior Achievement programs in more than 360 classes throughout Collier, Lee and Charlotte counties. For more information on Junior Achievement of Southwest Florida visit www.JASWFL.org, call 239-225-2590 or email info@jaswfl.org.
