JA Inspire gives businesses the opportunity to connect with as many as 2,000 students in a single day. It's a chance to introduce young people to careers they may have never considered and show them that every company has opportunities beyond the jobs they already know.
Individual volunteers make a huge difference, but Junior Achievement also needs businesses willing to serve together. Company volunteer groups can step directly into Oklahoma schools and help students learn about careers, financial literacy, and the opportunities waiting for them after graduation.
Sometimes the best financial lessons come from actually making the decisions yourself. Through Junior Achievement's Finance Park, students build a monthly budget and quickly discover how far their money really goes. For one student, the experience was so impactful that she eventually returned to work for JA.
Junior Achievement isn't looking for volunteers with perfect careers or flawless financial histories. Students need to hear about the bumps, mistakes, unexpected expenses, and career changes too. Real stories can help prepare young people for the realities of adulthood.
Sandra Brown, Senior Education Manager, and Savannah McLaughlin, Program Manager, at Junior Achievement of Oklahoma’s OKC site discuss how JA prepares students for the real world through financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship. They share how hands-on, experiential learning helps students build practical skills for their futures and explain the…
Getting sworn in as a CASA volunteer officially makes you an officer of the court. When a group of middle school students discovered their teacher had been sworn in by a judge, they came to one hilarious conclusion: "He knows a judge. He could get you in trouble."
You don't have to be a lawyer, social worker, or child welfare expert to become a CASA volunteer. If you have the time and heart to serve, CASA provides the training and ongoing support you need to advocate for a child in foster care.
CASA of Oklahoma County currently has 129 children waiting for an advocate, the longest wait list they've seen in 15 years. Volunteers receive extensive training before being sworn in as officers of the court and beginning the important work of advocating for children in foster care.
Sometimes that adult is a parent, grandparent, teacher, or coach. For many children in foster care, it's their CASA volunteer. One consistent person who believes in them, advocates for them, and continues showing up can completely change the trajectory of a child's life.
Will you get emotionally involved as a CASA volunteer? Absolutely. You'll encounter difficult stories, challenging systems, and heartbreaking circumstances. But you'll also have an opportunity to make a lasting difference in the life of a child who desperately needs someone in their corner.
