Educator Spotlight of the Month: April 2022

Author: Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana
Community Involvement
Published: Sunday, 27 Mar 2022

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Image caption: March 2022 Spotlight: Scott Putler

Junior Achievement of Southwestern Indiana gives a spotlight to a local educator every month by publishing an in-depth interview about their JA experience.

JA: What grade do you teach & where?

SP: I teach third grade at Fort Branch Community School.

JA: Are you a Junior Achievement Alum. If so, tell us about your Junior Achievement experience when you were a student.

SP: No, I did not have Junior Achievement as a student.

JA: How long have you hosted Junior Achievement programs in your classroom/school?

SP: I have hosted the Junior Achievement program in my classroom for eight years.

JA: Why did you initially choose to have Junior Achievement programs in your classroom/school?

SP: Junior Achievement was recommended to me by another teacher when I moved to third grade. I thought it seemed like a program that would engage my students and present topics in a different way.

JA: What do you enjoy most about having Junior Achievement programs taught to your students?

SP: I enjoy that JA teaches students about financial literacy at a young age. If students learn that saving money is important when they are young, hopefully they will continue to save when they get older

JA: What reason would you give to another educator on why they should have Junior Achievement programs in their classroom/school?

SP: Junior Achievement engages students with their program and expands on topics that are taught in the classroom.

JA: How do you feel JA relates to what you/other educators teach in the classroom?

SP: In third grade Social Studies we talk about communities and the government. JA for 3rd grade also talks about cities and how different people and businesses are needed for a successful city.

JA:What value do you feel a JA volunteer provides you and your students?

SP: A JA volunteer gives the students another successful person within the community to look up to and teach them about a variety of topics.

JA: What is one of your favorite JA moments?

SP: One of my favorite JA moments is when they are coming up with ideas for a possible business and seeing the variety of ideas that they think of.

JA: In what ways has the pandemic changed how JA is being taught in your classroom/school?

SP: Last school year we were unable to have visitors in the school, however with technology we were able to still have JA virtually through Google Meet. This year in the spring we have been able to have JA in person.