CHARLOTTE -- Friday was no ordinary day at Joseph Grier Academy in Charlotte.
“If you're going throughout the halls, you'll see the excitement. Every single classroom, kindergarten through 5th grade, they are engaged,” Principal Theresa Townsend said.
Standing in front of these elementary school students weren't their assigned teachers, but volunteers with New Beginnings Church partnered with a program called Junior Achievement, or JA.
“We have people here who are attorneys, who are paramedics. We have people here who are in management, in transportation. We have various walks of life,” said Christina Lee with New Beginnings Church.
JA volunteers took over the classrooms for a day, with lesson plans focused on real-life business skills.
“When you think in terms of three skills that they focus on, entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy, who can beat that?” said Townsend.
“At this age they are sponges, and most people think that it starts in middle school. I'm a believer that it starts in elementary because by the time they get to middle school, in some communities, it's too late,” said Lee.
To find out how you can be JA volunteer, click here.