to the top of the page

114 Local Classrooms Served by Junior Achievement in 2022-2023

  Home  »  News »  

114 Local Classrooms Served by Junior Achievement in 2022-2023

Posted: May 16 2023
114 Local Classrooms Served by Junior Achievement in 2022-2023

What's the secret to raising a generation of successful, financially savvy adults? It starts in the classroom, with programs like Junior Achievement.

"We take students through real-life scenarios. How do you write a check? How do you make a budget? It's really cool to see kids' reactions," said Makensy Arlien, who volunteers to teach Junior Achievement curriculum to elementary school students in the Minot area.

Junior Achievement is a non-profit program facilitated by the Minot Area Chamber EDC that creates a bridge between the business community and students in kindergarten through fifth grade classrooms across the Minot area. During the 2022-2023 school year, students in 114 classrooms experienced the JA curriculum.

That reach could not be accomplished without loyal sponsors — and a strong stable of local volunteers like Makensy Arlien and Nancy Wagenast.

"It's good to lead by example and show the kids how fun volunteering can be," said Wagenast, who has volunteered to teach Junior Achievement since the program was first brought to Minot in 1997.

Wagenast and Arlien are colleagues at First Western Bank and Trust. The pair co-taught second, third, and fifth grade JA curriculum this school year. "It's fun to see the kids' excitement when we walk through the door each week!" said Arlien.

The program benefits teachers, too. Peggy Overton, a second grade teacher at Sunnyside Elementary School, says JA supports social studies curriculum standards in a memorable way.

"Learning about consumers and producers, goods and services, wants and needs — those ideas support our existing school curriculum so well," Overton said. "And we're always looking for ways to have people from the community come in to enrich the lives of our children."

"It teaches kids about the free enterprise system of the United States," Wagenast said. "It shows them that they have a choice to work where they want to work."

She said the coursework is easy for community members to learn and teach — and engaging for the students. "The kids are active participants in each lesson," she said, "raising their hands. They don't just sit back and listen. It's enjoyable to see that."

The Minot Area Chamber EDC is grateful to the schools, teachers, volunteers, and sponsors who allow us to connect with the next generation of business leaders!
 

2022-2023 Junior Achievement Sponsors:

Affinity First Federal Credit Union
Bell School PTO
Centerspace
Clean Tech
Country Financial - Ahsha Mims
Credit Unions United Chapter
Dakota PTA
Edison PTA
First International Bank & Trust
John Hoeven PTA
Kiwanis Club of Minot
Lewis & Clark PTA
Longfellow PTA
Magic City Lions
McKinley PTA
MDU
Minot Community Endowment Fund
Minot Credit Association
North Plains PTA
North Star Community Credit Union
Perkett PTA
Roosevelt PTA
Ryan Family Dealership
Sertoma Club
SRT
Sunnyside PTA
United Community Bank
Verendrye Electric Cooperative
Xcel Energy

2022-2023 Junior Achievement Volunteers:

Shelly Adams
Stacey Ahmann
Oriana Allmon
Dawn Anderson
Maggie Backen
Penny Belgarde
Dr. Doug Bengson
Susan Bergman
Lindsey Bini
Breann Bischof
Kyle Bittle
Sydney Bjergaard
David Blikre
Jenny Bogden
Gabe Brien
Kristi Burgess
Donna Bye
Victoria Cofell
Carla Dolan
Stacey Elich
Beth Feldner
Heather Gillihan
Chelsea Gleich
Lolly Gorze
Kathy Grube
Whitney Hahn
Andy Heitkamp
Jessica Henderson
Chanda Hoewt
Lori Holtz
Lauri Hopwood
David Hughes
Jennifer Jerauld
Maglyn Keeney
Brock Keller
Dawndi Kesler
Abigail Kinder
Mindee Kohlman
Amber Kraft
Lexie Kroeger
Brenda Lakoduk
Robin Langford
Denise Larson
Erika Larson
Hannah Lautenschlager
Emma Lavachek
Alexis Lee
Heidi Llewellyn
David Lozensky
Alissa Mack
Angie Martin
Christine Melton
Alexis Meyer
Andrea Meyer
Kayla Milo
Ahsha Mims
Angela Nehring
Kinsey Neshem
Susan Ness
Bryan Obenchain
Perry Olson
Tim Olson
Melissa Opland
Shantel Ottmar
Dawn Palumbo
Jessica Phillips
Preston Phillips
Kim Popinga
Mary Prough
Chris Ray
Joe Reiter
Maria Romanick
EJ Rose
Keli Rosselli-Sullivan
Kristi Rosselli-Sullivan
Verla Rostad
Kayla Schatz
Kalli Schell
Emily Schenfisch
Ashley Schmaltz
Jordan Schmitt
Jaime Schwede
Angela Simonson
Kathy Sivertson
Jason Soles
Christine Staley
Madison Sundsbak
Karna Taft
Alicia Thompson
Amber Thompson
Jalisa Tinnes
Marisa Trueblood
Katie Trumble
Cathy Tweten
Danielle Vetter
Carissa Visocsky
Jennifer Watson
Janelle Weaver
Shannon Webster
Nancy Wegenast
Amy Werner
Rod Wilson
Tom Wilson
Angela Yellow Hammer
Mandi Zavalney
 
Advertisements
Responsible by Nature
Our Community, your commitment.
Helping dreams come true, one customer at a time.