Volunteers from Lockheed staffed each classroom on May 20, delivering lessons in free enterprise. Students learned the how-tos of business and city planning, resume writing, unit production and effective interviewing.

"[JA in a Day] starts with the community and expands to international economics," says Wendy Walleigh, vice president of marketing and development for Junior Achievement of Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay. "Students learn how money flows through the community and how people get paid. They gain a better understanding of the world."

The purpose of Junior Achievement, which is nearly 100 years old, is to teach students the value of entrepreneurship and education. After schools invite the organization, volunteers from local businesses tackle the role of teacher for a day. Lockheed recruited volunteers from several departments, but most were young professionals and eager to experience a day in the life of a teacher.

Our Town

Lockheed volunteer Tanya Kruglikov taught students in Susan Woods' third-grade class about the basics of city planning and starting a business.

First, they carefully drew blueprints, which they used to create scale buildings out of paper.

When the students completed their miniature houses, schools, city buildings and businesses, they placed them in the proper zone on a map of a city.

Sunnyvale Vice Mayor Ron Swegles paid a visit to the classroom to observe the students as they built their own little city. He even offered some advice as students placed homes near an airport.

"They have to go to city council to do that," Swegles said.

Once students built their city, they voted on a name. "Nimitz City" was the unanimous winner.

After building a miniature city, students designed a restaurant from the ground up. They decided on the type of food, the hours of service and the employees they would hire.

For their final project of the day, students created their own newspaper, and wrote articles for the different sections.

This was Woods' third year having Junior Achievement volunteers visit her classroom.

"[Junior Achievement] raises [the students'] awareness of commerce and free enterprise," Woods says. "We've been talking about how the symbol of the United States is freedom, and now they understand the freedom of starting their own business, choosing a job and earning money."

Woods prepared her students for "JA in a Day" by discussing corporations.

"I was surprised by how much they knew about businesses," Woods says. "They were able to name at least two dozen big businesses."

Corporate Culture

While Woods' students learned about the workings of a city, Bernie Lin and Eric Fuller taught Susie Mizerak's fifth-grade class about national business operations and economic issues. Students submitted to make-believe job interviews, refined their resume-writing skills and took a test to determine their career strengths and weaknesses.

"You can do 'stuff' even when you are younger," Lin told the class. "Look at the Olsen twins. They started product lines when they were only 10 or 12. You can do that too if you have a good idea."

After students wrote resumes and applied for jobs, they formed an assembly line to produce pens. The fifth-graders developed a business plan and strategized marketing techniques.

Lockheed volunteers have visited Mizerak's classroom for two years.

"I love it," she says. "It's very relevant--particularly the aspects of learning to write a resume and complete a job application."

Although adults often dread impending job interviews, Mizerak's students grew excited when they had the opportunity to practice an interview. Mizerak says the students have been looking forward to "JA in a Day."

Her students weren't the only ones anticipating the day. Louis Lombardo, Junior Achievement board member and program director, special programs at Lockheed Martin, says he gains at least as much as the students do by participating in the program.

"I really like the aspect of getting into the classroom," he says. "It's rewarding. We teach students that there are good jobs out there, and if they stay in school, they can make it."

Lombardo says Lockheed's intentions in volunteering for Junior Achievement aren't entirely philanthropic. He says the corporation also hopes to recruit new workers, or at least inspire children to seek out a career in high tech and engineering.

"We'd like to see students get into the sciences," Lombardo says. "You have to start early. Middle and high school are too late to encourage students to go to college."

Lombardo says employees, most of whom are in their 20s, also get inspired by volunteering to teach in the classrooms.

"It builds teamwork at work," he notes.

John Donovan, a mechanical design engineer at Lockheed Martin, says he relishes the opportunity to spend the day with children.

"I like that we get to come into the classrooms," Donovan says. "For people like us, who are engineers, we get an appreciation for teaching."

He also says that students are motivated by interacting with young adults.

"Most think the engineering industry is composed of people their parents' age," Donovan says. "It's really cool for them to see young people [who are in the workforce]. We still seem old to them, but they can relate to us."

Building Success

Making the business world and economics accessible to school-aged children is what Junior Achievement is all about. The nonprofit's mission is to introduce real-world concepts to students from kindergarten through 12th grade.

The program has come a long way since its inception in 1919. Founded by Horace Moses, Theodore Vail and U. S. Sen. Murray Crane in Springfield, Mass., Junior Achievement began as a group of small, after-school business clubs for students. Their purpose was to prepare students for the growing urban workforce. Students learned how to think and plan for a business, acquire supplies and talent, build their own products, advertise and sell.

The program came to Silicon Valley in 1953, still in the form of after-school clubs. In the mid-1970s, the concentration shifted from after-school to in-class activities. Today, Junior Achievement serves schools in 35 districts in Santa Clara County, according to Walleigh. The organization serves about 4 million children in nearly 100 countries.

"Just as businesses have evolved, we've evolved," she says. "It was clear that we wanted to reach kids in a [feasible] way."

Despite the post-dot com economic malaise, the local chapter of Junior Achievement has grown from 19,000 students four years ago to 35,000 students this year, with no staff growth and a minimal budget increase. Walleigh says the boost is due to an increased supply of volunteers and heightened demand from schools.

Walleigh says the organization has also shifted its focus to emphasize at-risk students in low-income areas. Based on free and reduced lunch statistics of participating students, about 44 percent of the students are low-income, Walleigh says.

"We hope to go where the greatest need is," Walleigh says. "The goal is to get to kids young enough so they won't face the decisions that they face in high-need areas, like gangs and teen pregnancy. We want to get to elementary schools and encourage them to stay in school."

The mission of Junior Achievement is to introduce students to business and economics, but Walleigh says the organization's purpose is to inspire students to aim high.

"We are trying to open vistas, not brainwash them about free enterprise," she says.

Junior Achievement's programs vary based on the schools' request and businesses' volunteers. One intensive program consists of one volunteer a week for five weeks. Since many time-strapped workers in Silicon Valley cannot make that commitment, Walleigh says the "JA in a Day" program has become increasingly popular.

"Companies feel like they are giving back to the community, and they can get in and get out in one day," Walleigh says. "The volunteers [for JA Day] don't get to know the kids as well, but many companies come year after year and the students get lessons over time."

Junior Achievement recruits all of its volunteers from local business. Many businesses, such as Lockheed Martin, will adopt schools and run a program on a yearly basis. Volunteers receive training, curriculum and materials before they enter the classroom.

"That way, they don't have to invent anything when they go in," Walleigh says.

The organization receives far more requests from schools than it can fulfill with volunteers. Walleigh says her chapter turns down as many as 200 requests a year. She also says volunteers for middle and high schools are especially scarce.

Because of the dearth of volunteers, Junior Achievement is beginning to look at other options, such as college students and high-school seniors to fill the void.

Volunteering may require time--a precious commodity in Silicon Valley--and the willingness to speak in front of a young and often capricious audience, but Walleigh insists it's worth the effort. She says volunteers play an important role in encouraging students to stay in school and strive for the career of their choice, despite economic barriers.

That's a role that can be a part of any company's business plan.

For more information about Junior Achievement of Silicon Valley and Monterey Bay, visit www.jascc.org.