For four years and counting, Wayne Elementary School in Detroit has participated in the MACPA Accounting Blitz

The MACPA partners with Junior Achievement (JA) to put on this program, which reaches thousands of students in kindergarten through eighth grade each year. Deloris Lyons, a counselor at Wayne Elementary, said the entire student body at Wayne – kindergarten through fifth grade – participates in what she terms “a wonderful program.”

“It is an integral part of our career curriculum,” says Lyons. “It is interesting and beneficial to students. It gets them involved in seeing how the business world and community works.”

Lyons was therefore concerned to hear she may have to pick and choose which classes participate this year due to a shortage of volunteers. She said all the teachers enjoy participating in the program.

“Everyone loves it. The presenters do a wonderful job, which the teachers praise and the students love,” says Lyons. “Even the accounting personnel benefit because they gain an appreciation for education and the difficult job teachers have.”

Lyons also said presenters tell her afterward how much they enjoyed working with the students and answering questions for them.

“Students really ask a lot of questions,” adds Lyons. “They are inquisitive and want to know the responsibilities and what it takes to get a particular position. They want to know what (salary) they make. They want to know everything.”

Lyons said the program offers very practical information about business, occupations and real-world experiences.

Share your accounting knowledge and experiences with elementary students – you may even spark an interest in the students to follow a similar career path. Join the MACPA and JA in this endeavor to teach Michigan’s youth about the business world – including accounting. Using JA’s proven teaching tools, you can teach business basics at various elementary schools in the Detroit, Grand Rapids and Saginaw areas.

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