JA volunteer Christina Schultz has shown her passion for the JA mission not only though her growing participation in JA programs, but also by encouraging her coworkers at the Regis Company to get involved.  As an employee at Deloitte, Christina was one of many dedicated volunteers, and when she transitioned to a new job opportunity at the Regis Company, she brought her passion with her. Christina has recruited new volunteers among her coworkers by sharing her story.

Christina began volunteering with Junior Achievement three years ago, and has not only maintained a relationship with the same teacher every fall, but has added a second JA program to her repertoire in the winter.  She says that she was motivated to volunteer with JA when she saw how well the programs correlate with her profession. “I create interactive learning experiences for adults, and I always thought it would be great if students could have similar experiences. I love that JA does this and I’m so happy to be a part of it,” she says.

Through her work with Junior Achievement, Christina has built valuable problem solving skills.  She has shared the story of her favorite JA moment: “Right before my wedding, I’d caught a cold and had started to lose my voice. I quietly asked the students what would happen if I couldn’t speak on my wedding day. They said it would be really bad. So we all agreed to do the session as quietly as possible so I wouldn’t ever have to raise my voice. I don’t think any of us had ever had that much fun playing the quiet game.”

Christina recommends that new volunteers keep their own educational experiences in mind. She encourages volunteers to consider their own childhood hopes and fears as they approach their students. “Aside from helping you teach,” she says, “it’s a great little walk down memory lane.”