‘We see all of these middle schoolers potentially as future Jaguars’

Tylen Simpson, a sixth grader from Pine Hill Middle School in Richmond County, was surprised when he was chosen to be the development officer in Augusta University’s storefront during his recent visit to the newly opened Junior Achievement Discovery Center off River Watch Parkway.

“At first, I was like, ‘What is a development officer? What am I supposed to do?’” Simpson said, smiling. “But then I learned I’m basically the main fundraiser for the university, and I work closely with the chief financial officer.”

Approximately 15,000 local middle school students each year will learn valuable life skills, such as financial literacy and career readiness, in an entertaining and interactive environment in the new 30,000-square-foot JA Discovery Center, located in Evans.

During the field trip, the students were each given a job within one of the many storefronts and were able to take part in a simulated economy as part of the JA BizTown program.

“In the AU storefront, we’re selling game-day tickets to any sporting event at the university,” Simpson said, holding up one of the tickets they were selling to students for $5 each or $8 for a pair. “So, this is a game-day pass students can use to get into a basketball game or a baseball game or whatever sport they like. I think we have a really exciting product to sell.”

Several volunteers from Augusta University were on hand to help guide the students through the economic simulation and talk about their own life experiences in the workplace.

Tina Baggott, associate vice president for Augusta University’s Volunteer Services and Community Engagement, said the sixth-grade students were filled with questions when they arrived at the storefronts.

“We’ve received questions about what it’s like having a job and the types of responsibilities we have at AU, as well as questions about how to vote in elections,” Baggott said. “We’ve had conversations about what a university is and what a university does. And we’ve talked about what our goals are at a university.”

Baggott said the students thoroughly enjoyed the space and had fun posing with the statue of Augustus, the university’s mascot.

“The students love the space,” Baggott said. “We’ve really tried to make it very accessible for the students, as well as fun and interactive for them.”

Augusta University teamed up as a community partner with Junior Achievement of Georgia and the local school districts in Richmond and Columbia counties with the goal to help teach future generations ways they can succeed in a global economy.

“The university felt like this was such a beneficial partnership because it really did have a win-win situation for both the campus and the community,” Baggott said. “Junior Achievement will bring in up to 15,000 students a year from all over the CSRA through the center to educate them on both small business education, as well as personal finance education.

“What an opportunity to expose them to Augusta University and what it means to have a college education,” Baggott added. “For Augusta University, it’s an opportunity to meet these middle schoolers and start building our pipeline. We see all of these middle schoolers potentially as future Jaguars, so there’s no better time than the present to get them excited about AU.”

Exploring higher education

Prior to the field trips to the JA Discovery Center, students have 20-plus hours of in-class learning with their teachers on subjects, such as resume writing, interviewing skills, creating household budgets and handling personal finances.

Kristie Johnson, community engagement manager for Volunteer Services and Community Engagement, said she was impressed with how prepared the sixth graders were when discussing their positions in JA BizTown.

“The students already came in with a lot of knowledge, so you could see how this program really incorporates the classroom aspect prior to the field trip so students are prepared. And the teachers chose the students’ roles in the JA BizTown very well,” Johnson said, laughing. “Our CEO is quite a leader, and our CFO is very well organized.”

By exploring the higher education storefronts, such as Augusta Technical College and AU, Johnson believes the students will begin thinking about college and their future careers.

“We’re showing the students higher education is an option for their future,” Johnson said. “And from the volunteer side, it’s a great community partnership with Junior Achievement because we get to give back, and we get to see the light bulbs go off when the students talk about their future goals. There’s nothing like that kind of experience to know you’re making a difference.”

Since the JA Discovery Center opened its doors in January, local middle school students have been amazed by the designs of each of the 18 community partners’ storefronts, including Augusta University’s space, said Ashley Whitaker, the director of development for Junior Achievement of Georgia for the CSRA.

Augusta University serves as a community partner, along with other businesses, local governments and organizations such as Delta Air Lines, Publix, United Way, the Community Foundation of the Central Savannah River Area, SRP Federal Credit Union, Jim Hudson Lexus, Georgia Power, Chick-fil-A, Augusta Technical College, Augusta-Richmond County and Columbia County.

“What I love is when we throw open the theater doors, and we do the grand reveal of all of the different storefronts,” Whitaker said. “You get to see a lot of really excited faces, and they’re starting to make connections between what’s inside the center and what is actually inside the CSRA. So, it helps the students understand what they may want to do in the future, but also what their mom and dad might do at work.”

Whitaker, who is also a two-time alumna of Augusta University, said she is proud of her alma mater’s storefront.

“I got my bachelor’s degree and master’s degree at Augusta University, so I really am invested in the institution,” Whitaker said. “What I love about the design is it’s not just relatable and directed at the kids, but it’s also something a lot of our adult volunteers and our teachers find interesting.

“Those adults who might be looking at pursuing another degree or a master’s or a doctorate are also interested in the space,” she added. “They like looking at the different pathways and seeing how their interests align with an actual career path and a degree offered at AU. And, of course, everybody loves the giant Augustus statue in AU’s storefront.”

Making a difference

Augusta University students, faculty and staff interested in volunteering at the JA Discovery Center in the future should contact Whitaker via email. For those volunteering at the JA Discovery Center, Baggott asks volunteers sign up using JagPulse, Augusta University’s engagement platform designed to connect students, faculty and staff with local and regional nonprofit and grassroots organizations.

Katherine Shaffer, a second-year graduate student seeking a Master of Education degree with a concentration in clinical mental health counseling, volunteered at the JA Discovery Center because she believes it is important for middle school students to learn about financial literacy.

“The students are learning about what a payroll is, how to apply for a bank loan, how to manage their money and set a price point and things like that, so it’s really cool to watch them,” Shaffer said. “We are trying to let them figure it out on their own, but we’re here to guide them as they need it. It’s been a lot of fun.”

Vanessa White, the director of volunteer programs and operations for Volunteer Services and Community Engagement, said she thoroughly enjoyed seeing the excitement on the students’ faces as they explored the JA Discovery Center.

“We are honored to be a part of JA because a lot of the students may know who we are as Augusta University but may not understand what we do and the opportunity we can provide them,” White said. “Sometimes you are only exposed to what you know in your household, from neighbors or family and friends. Visiting the JA Discovery Center opens their eyes to different experiences and opportunities as well.”

For many of the students, graduating from high school will happen sooner than they can imagine, White said.

“It comes up a lot faster than we expect,” White said. “They’re in middle school, then high school comes, and then, all of a sudden, they’re expected to be adults and know the next phase of the journey.

“I think it’s essential to have that conversation with middle schoolers now,” White added. “Being able to connect those dots and see it come together here and be available to answer those questions is just invaluable.”