Striving for Excellence with Junior Achievement and Crestar Striving for Excellence with Junior Achievement and Crestar Mt. Washington Elementary School Baltimore, MD Detra Gray is seen taking a walk to the Mt. Washington market with her daughter Olivia and Olivia's classmate, Amber. They return with the ingredients for making lemonade. The teacher, teacher's assistant, and other parent volunteers are now busy guiding excited kindergartners along an assembly line as the class prepares lemonade to sell to other classes. As a volunteer consultant for the Junior Achievement Elementary School Program, Detra Gray is teaching these youngsters about the roles individuals play in the economy as workers and consumers. The Junior Achievement Elementary Program is an innovative business and economics program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade.
Participants learn about everything from economic concepts to zoning regulations.
Each theme helps students to understand how they can contribute to society as workers, citizens, and consumers. Each consultant was encouraged to visit the class before presenting his or her first lesson. This gave the consultant a chance to meet the students and tell them a little about what they would be doing during subsequent visits. The funds were used to support the necessary training for community and parent volunteers, teachers, and to supply classroom materials. There is clear alignment between Baltimore City Public Schools elementary social studies curriculum goals and the learning concepts and skills that were addressed during the Junior Achievement Program classes.