It wasn’t a typical Monday morning for me. Sipping hot coffee and clacking on my keyboard in a quiet room was replaced with chattering children walking confidently and with purpose into their own small city.

This May, roughly 60 fifth-graders from an elementary school arrived at the simulated city ready for work. From CEOs to bank tellers, lab workers to DJs, the students were in charge, running the community and driving the little economy bustling in a large building in downtown York, Pennsylvania. Their genuine excitement and energy generated a joyful buzz that infused my volunteer experience at Junior Achievement (JA) BizTown of South Central PA, headquartered in the same facility as the miniature city.

Each year, The YGS Group encourages its associates to connect with the community by volunteering in the southcentral Pennsylvania region, which includes York and Lancaster counties. By doing so, YGS associates can promote a culture of social responsibility and contribute to a meaningful and rewarding experience. Among the volunteer opportunities YGS shared with the staff was JA Biztown.

JA Biztown is a comprehensive program that involves classroom instruction with provided lesson plans and a simulated workday experience. Before they arrive at Biztown, the students are taught how to run a business, manage their finances, apply for a job, and prepare for an interview. Then, they immerse themselves in the role of a JA BizTown citizen for the day.

In the 8,000-square-foot city with its various business storefronts, my “job” for the day was to help out in one of the stores and be a small part of this well-organized learning experience. I joined two other volunteers in helping the five students who were hired to work in BizTee. At this science, technology, engineering, arts, and math-inspired shop, the girls made T-shirts and cloth bags for their fellow classmates to purchase with their Biztown currency.

“Business volunteers are absolutely vital to the impact we make on students. Their real-world insight helps bring learning to life and show students what’s truly possible for their futures.”

—Tom Russell, CEO of Junior Achievement of South Central PA

The students were responsible for all aspects of the business, from handling the finances so everyone was compensated for their work with Biztown currency to applying decals to T-shirts and bags to providing quality customer service to creating ads for the shirts and bags for the Biztown television channel.

And they were busy—a productive type of busy!

Even though the girls had prepared for this day, some were a bit overwhelmed by the actual job responsibilities assigned to them. One girl who was the inventory manager discovered that she had to count hundreds of T-shirts before BizTee even opened its doors for business. She turned to me for help, and we decided to split the piles by size—and count, count, count! The student added the totals to a chart, and when a decal was added to a T-shirt and the shirt was sold to another student, she subtracted that T-shirt from the total.

Other students, however, demonstrated natural leadership skills and an empathy toward their fellow classmates who needed some direction or assistance at times. One girl at BizTee was bilingual, speaking English and Spanish fluently. In the beginning, she was rather quiet and soft-spoken, but her demeanor quickly changed when she began to work.

She emerged as an invaluable team member, not only as the customer service director but also as a problem-solver. I watched her converse with students whose first language was not English and translate their concerns to me or another volunteer if she was unable to help them. When an errand needed to be run, she volunteered and completed the task. And as the face of BizTee, she welcomed all customers with a smile and ensured they received the T-shirt or bag they wanted.

The four hours I spent with this team of highly motivated fifth-grade girls might not have happened if YGS had not afforded me the time and shared the opportunity with me. It was a privilege to join these students as they were building a foundation for their future understanding of the world of work and their place within it.

YGS understands that supporting and celebrating its associate volunteers better positions it to grow and retain employees and demonstrate its commitment to the community where we live.

By making volunteerism visible, valued, and accessible, YGS is building a stronger and more impactful organization.

Ready to work with a company that understands the importance of furthering your mission? Let’s talk.

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