Volunteer Spotlight: Laura St. John – Empowering Students Through Financial Literacy

Author: Cathy Essick
Community Involvement
Published: Friday, 28 Feb 2025

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Image caption: Meet Laura St. John! A dedicated Junior Achievement volunteer, Laura brings enthusiasm and real-world experience into the classroom, inspiring students to dream big and plan for their futures. Thank you, Laura, for making a lasting impact!

At Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, our volunteers are the heart of our mission, bringing real-world financial education and career readiness into classrooms across our communities. This month, we are excited to spotlight Laura St. John, a dedicated Junior Achievement (JA) volunteer and Digital Banker at Hills Bank, who has been making an impact on students for the past three years.

A Passion for Education and Community

Laura’s journey to JA began through her workplace at Hills Bank, where community service is a key value. Encouraged by her supervisor, she saw volunteering with JA as a great way to give back while also returning to her roots in education. Before her banking career, she worked as a paraeducator in a preschool classroom, and JA offered her the opportunity to step back into the classroom and share her financial knowledge with young learners.

“I have a background in education and was really excited for the opportunity to get back in a classroom and provide financial education to our local students,” Laura shares.

Making Learning Fun and Engaging

Over the years, Laura has taught several JA programs, including:

Kindergarten: JA Ourselves®
Second Grade: JA Our Community®
Fourth Grade: JA Our Region®

For Laura, every classroom experience is unique. While JA provides structured lesson plans, she has found that student discussions and interactions always bring something new to each session.

“Always an adventure,” she says when describing what it’s like to teach a JA lesson. “Yes, there is a lesson plan and guide to follow, but you truly never know what to expect. The personalities will always be different, so your discussions and questions will never be quite the same.”

One of her favorite moments? When students recognize her from past lessons and exclaim, “Hey, that’s the Junior Achievement lady!”—a testament to the connections she has built with the students.

Hands-On Learning: A Student Favorite

Laura loves seeing students engage with JA activities, particularly interactive games that make financial concepts come to life. Some of the biggest hits in her classrooms include:

The Pizza Maker Game (2nd Grade) – Teaching students about running a business and making smart financial choices.
The Hot Dog Stand Game (4th Grade) – Helping students learn about entrepreneurship, supply and demand, and managing costs.

“Their questions and the discussions that stem from our lessons, even at the kindergarten level, are so much fun to be a part of,” Laura says. “I always learn something new, and there is never a dull moment.”

Why Financial Literacy Matters

For Laura, the most rewarding part of volunteering with JA is seeing students engage, learn, and build confidence in financial concepts that will serve them for years to come. She believes early exposure to financial literacy helps remove the fear and uncertainty that often comes with managing money in adulthood.

“Money and finances can be overwhelming, even for adults,” she says. “I think exposure to these concepts at a young age makes it less daunting as students transition into adulthood. Any additional practice or opportunity we can provide, from early on, will be beneficial to all of our students.”

Encouraging Others to Get Involved

For anyone considering volunteering with JA, Laura’s advice is simple: Give it a try!

“JA is an awesome program, and they prepare and equip you to present each session,” she shares. “Each time you interact with a student, in a big or small way, you have the opportunity for impact, and that is a privilege and responsibility that should not be taken lightly.”

We are so grateful for dedicated volunteers like Laura, who bring their passion and expertise to the classroom, helping students develop critical financial and career skills.

Are you interested in making a difference like Laura? Learn more about volunteering with Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa by visiting our volunteer page or reaching out to our team today!