This is just one of the many March 26 activities students will engage in as part of the Junior Achievement program. Through age-appropriate curriculum that meets California state education standards, JA programs begin at the elementary school level. They teach children how they can impact the world around them as individuals, workers and consumers. Rather than being taught by their teachers that day, the students will learn from community members and business professionals who are volunteering their time for this internationally acclaimed program.

Parents like Sandy Hoag are stepping up to offer their expertise.

"All the kids see is an ATM machine, and that's where mommy and daddy get their money," Hoag said.

By volunteering, Hoag hopes to impart to children the value of money and how it moves through a company. Hoag, who formerly worked in the computer industry for 20 years, is now raising her twin first-graders who attend school in Saratoga.

Wendy Walleigh, a JA representative with the Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay branch, said the program gives kids business skills and helps them develop into better people while teaching them how their community functions. The students will learn the differences between unit and assembly-line production, she said, plus details about occupations such as police officer, merchant and mayor.

"I don't have any second-graders," said Cathie Thermond, an SUSD board member, who will be leading a class as a volunteer. "But it sounds like it's a very practical program about their community, and it's tied into the state standards. The more connections kids can have with the real world the better."

The program frequently starts with kids in at-risk communities, Walleigh said, offering them adult role models and a wider understanding of career choices available to them. JA programs can also continue through middle and high school grades, preparing students for future economic and workforce issues. Walleigh said the ultimate goal of bringing this program to Saratoga elementary schools is that it will continue with the second-graders as they grow.

Even in sophisticated, affluent neighborhoods, Walleigh said students need to understand how money leaves their pocket and flows through the community.

"These are kids from well-to-do families, and they don't necessarily know what it's like to work," Walleigh said. "So giving them that experience will help them close the gap."

JA is being brought to Saratoga because of community volunteers like Mark Linsky, a retiree of Hewlett-Packard and local director of the American Youth Soccer Organization. Linsky, a JA board member, said one to two volunteers per classroom will lead 14 Saratoga second-grade classes on March 26 in the fundamentals of business enterprise and economics. The program is provided at no cost to the school district, but Walleigh said JA is continually seeking company sponsorship, local contributions and the support and time of volunteers. The program includes structured curriculum and materials provided by JA.

"It provides an opportunity for people in the business world to convey their knowledge to kids," said Linsky. "It really brings the business world to the classroom."

For more information about the program visit http://www.jascc.org or to volunteer, call Mark Linsky at 408.741.1949.