We couldn’t be any more excited! We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Doug Langs, a 20-year loyal Junior Achievement volunteer.
How did you get started with JA?
In 1996, I was employed at General Motors in the World Headquarters in Detroit, and decided to volunteer at JA. As soon as I volunteered at JA, I realized the educational value and service the JA organization was providing to the community. In 2009, I was hired by Henry Ford College to teach international business and economics. Since Henry Ford College is located in Dearborn, I focused on volunteering in the Dearborn community and met Ms. Kelly Martin who teaches 5th grade at Howard Elementary. Since meeting Ms. Martin, we have been working together every year for the last for six years. In addition to Ms. Martin, I have had the privilege to volunteer in two other classes with Ms. Dearth and Ms. Albertson. The principal, Ms. Burch, is wonderful, and the students at Howard Elementary are exceptional!
What inspires you to keep coming back year after year?
The most inspiring aspect of JA is the enthusiasm of the students. I call it “spontaneous creative enthusiasm”. When asked a question in class, the students spontaneously react with creative answers – thus, spontaneous creative enthusiasm. I teach business at Henry Ford College and student sometimes think through all the ramifications before giving an answer. In the elementary grades, the students immediately react to any topic or question, that’s what I call inspiring!
What’s the most rewarding part of volunteering?
Meeting new students and watching them learn the principles of business at a young age is the number one reason I have volunteered for the last 20 years. The opportunity to share my business and educational experiences with these students has been personally rewarding.
Tell me about some of your most memorable experiences working with students?
I have so many memorable experiences over the last 20 years. It would be difficult to just pick one.
In your opinion how important is it for kids to have access to programs like JA?
In our global economy, we must introduce business and economics to our students as early as possible in our schools. As a result of technology, the rest of the world is growing very, very fast. Competition for goods, services and jobs, will be even greater in the future. The time is right now to teach our students as much as possible about competing in the global economy. JA is in the position to assists volunteers like myself with making it possible to introduce students at a very early age the basic principles of business in order to give them the tools they will need to compete in the future.
For someone considering volunteering with JA what would you say to them?
Contact the Junior Achievement of Southeastern Michigan office today! The individuals at JA are professional and will support you and assist you in making a difference in your community.
Tell me about any “aha” moments you may have experienced while volunteering with JA?
Again, I have so many “aha” moments over the last 20 years. It would be difficult to just pick one. However, the only “aha’ moment I had recently was that I can’t believe I have been volunteering at JA for 20 years!
Is there anything that you would like to see JA do differently or more of?
No, nothing differently. Junior Achievement is an excellent organization and I am proud to have been a volunteer for the last 20 years.