A Dedicated Volunteer

Author: Cassie Benzinger
Corporate Responsibility
Published: Tuesday, 05 Apr 2016

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JA impacts so many people each year, whether it be a student, volunteer, parent, or teacher. The story below shares a memorable JA experience that turned into a lifetime of passion for the work JA does.

As a teenager, Sue Tjugum was part of a JA Company Program^® at her high school in DeForest, Wisconsin. In her class they made a pen holder from an old railroad tie. Fast forward to 2007, when her first child entered kindergarten at Sacred Hearts School in Sun Prairie, part of JA of Wisconsin. Sue wanted to get involved, so she volunteered to teach JA Ourselves^® to her son's class.

The teacher was so impressed that she asked Sue to come back every year to teach JA Ourselves to the new class of kindergartners. Each year, as her son advanced through the grades at Sacred Hearts, Sue was a JA volunteer in his classroom and also became a JA volunteer for after-school programs.

This year, her son is in 8th grade. Sue, once again, is teaching JA in his classroom. Her son and his classmates will graduate and move on to high school next year. "This is my last year with this group of students, so it's a little sad. Every time the students see me with the JA bag, they get very excited," Sue said. "And before I teach the class, when I am walking in the hall, they ask me if it's JA Time", Sue added.

Since 2007, Sue has taught 51 JA classes in Sun Prairie, has helped with several JA community events, and still has the pen holder from her high school JA class! Thank you, Sue, for all of your hard work and dedication.