Junior Achievement of Wisconsin (JA), a nonprofit organization based in Milwaukee, has been dedicated to educating young people about entrepreneurship, financial literacy and work readiness.
“I grew up here on Milwaukee’s south side, so I appreciated the opportunity to mentor students from my old neighborhood on life’s abundant possibilities that are achievable for them,” said volunteer Matt Grant.
JA builds partnerships between community and K-12 education institutions to provide an opportunity for volunteers to serve as a role model to local students.
“I’m an MPS graduate and financial literacy was not part of the curriculum. I’m so excited to see students learning about it at this critical age and that they can meet someone like me that came from their community,” said volunteer Erica Rodriguez.
Each JA session is enhanced by the energy and real-world perspective of a volunteer.
“It’s fun to see kids get a concept of money, and how your life choices, even at the earliest stages, can impact your life,” said Julie Shlyakhetko. “It’s great taking them out of the classroom so they can experience these lightbulb moments.”
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin-Milwaukee relies on over +1,500 volunteers per school year, servicing over 15,000 students. Many JA volunteers are staff and students of UWM.
For this and more volunteering opportunities, visit the Center for Student Experience and Talent (SET) at UWM.
This was included in MKZine!
“MKZine: Student Lifestyle Guide” – Volume 1, Issue 1 – September 2026
“MKZine: Student Lifestyle Guide” is available for viewing online here: https://uwmpost.com/special-projects/mkzine-uwm-student-lifestyle-guide
