It has been many years since I found myself gazing out the window of my elementary classroom as the teacher patiently reviewed multiplication tables or verb conjugations.

My recollection is that much of the material presented held little meaning to my wandering thoughts, but I was consistently reminded by my parents and teachers of how important it was to digest this information and demonstrate my retention of the content.

The one element that seemed to be lacking was the relationship between the world of education and the “real” world where all this knowledge would be put to practice. These two worlds seemed disconnected, with the exception of the occasional visiting fireman or policeman who would give us a glimpse of what it was like “out there.”

Understandably, the teachers I remember from those early school years were those able to inspire the class and give relevance to the course material by connecting the worlds of education and reality.

It was in this experience that, as students, we moved from the process of “collecting” the dots to the more important task of connecting the dots.

This is a teacher’s quest and the parent’s dream. The moment or transition when the students can grasp the benefit of their hard work and realize the opportunities that can result in the real world from their efforts in the classroom.

One opportunity to bridge the communication gap between the classroom and the board room will come to over 4,000 Napa County students this coming school year under a program entitled Junior Achievement.

A worldwide program conceived in 1919, this volunteer effort was brought to the Bay Area in 1950 in an effort to bring business and community leaders into the schools to share their knowledge about real life skills, the world of work and economics and community participation.

There is a Napa County Board for Junior Achievement headed by St. Helena Chairman Craig Underhill, with the District Operations being conducted by Senior Director Kate Nelson. Under their direction and with the participation of the board members, over 80 volunteers will enter into Napa classrooms from kindergarten to grade 12 during the coming school year.

The volunteers come from local businesses, from positions of leadership and from diverse jobs and professions in our community.

Prospective volunteers are encouraged to apply for the one-hour training class of the Junior Achievement program relating to the class level that they will be visiting. The time commitment is minimal and the rewards of interacting with students is an inspiration to all participants.

The two programs that are spread throughout the school year consist of a one-hour visit per week over a five week period and also a given dedicated day entitled “JA Day.” The course material is highly interactive with the students and intended to be fun and enjoyable, while demonstrating how the world of business and commerce functions.

The students are excited to ask questions of the volunteers, such as what job they have, how they got their job and how what they know might relate to the students’ educational opportunities.

As well as being inspirational, the program also fills a portion of the “California State Content Standards” required by the law. Intended to be a “life skills program,” it fills a void that is often lacking in the conventional curriculum.

To learn about money management, debt, interest rates, the stock market and how free enterprise functions often opens new windows of opportunity for the students both in and outside of school.

As current Napa Board Member and Sunrise Rotary volunteer Mike Basayne comments, “the program consists of games, models and real life examples that excite students’ participation and stimulate their interest. The kids like it.” 

With the goal of visiting 7,500 students by 2010, the Napa Chapter of Junior Achievement is always on the lookout for corporations, parents or individuals that are willing to invest a small amount of their time in our citizens of tomorrow.

With 80 volunteers visiting 20 schools from Calistoga to American Canyon, the program has grown to become a valuable and welcome addition to the growth and education of our children.

As students grow and mature, they are exposed to a material as well as spiritual world. Any efforts to provide them with the skill set to balance a checkbook or start a business will in the words of Junior Achievement “inspire their success and encourage their dreams.”

If you would like to know more about Junior Achievement or would be interested in becoming a volunteer, you can go online at www.jaba.org or you can call Kate Nelson directly at 364-1977.

If you can give an hour today, you may change one student’s life forever.

Charles Bogue, a broker with Coldwell Banker Brokers of the Valley, 1775 Lincoln Ave., Napa, CA 94558, can be reached at phone: 258-5221 or e-mail: cbnapa@napanet.net