Why Showing Up for Kids Matters in Dubuque, Eastern Iowa, and Western Illinois

I'm not sure how to start this article. There are so many ways that adults spend their "free time." Some may go golfing or explore outdoors, while others binge TV shows or partake in hobbies like painting. Still others find ways to mix enjoyment with growth; that's the essence of volunteer work.

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Now, I can't speak for anyone but myself, but in my personal life, there are many things I enjoy (video games, music, hiking, hunting, and fishing), but nothing is quite as fulfilling as being able to spend time doing the things I am good at while growing our future: our kids. I volunteer often, and if you want to see a REAL change in your community, that's how you REALLY make it happen.

I enjoy my time spent with our Cascade (and surrounding community) kids during my church's Wednesday night Kids' Club, playing drums for the Cascade High School's Vocal Affinity Jazz Choir, working concessions for music boosters, or coaching kids in soccer (youth and high school) through the summer and fall Dyersville league. Those are the things I find the most value in, because I can see how it affects our kids. Getting involved is just one way we can help grow and teach our kids to be upstanding and contributing men and women. Those same opportunities I partake in, in small-town Cascade, are available right here in Dubuque, and across Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. Those opportunities come in many shapes and sizes, but one of the easiest to step into is volunteering in local classrooms through Junior Achievement of the Heartland.

Junior Achievement has been around for a long time. This year marks its 70th anniversary, and there’s a reason it’s still going strong. The program connects community members with classrooms to help teach kids practical life skills: how money works, how careers take shape, and how ideas can turn into real businesses. It’s not theory-heavy or stiff. It’s hands-on, real-world stuff that kids can actually picture themselves using someday.

What makes Junior Achievement work isn’t flashy materials or big personalities; it’s regular people. Volunteers partner with teachers and show students what learning looks like outside a textbook. When a kid hears directly from someone who lives and works in their community, it hits different, and you've given a child one more person in the community they can rely on.

Here’s the part that surprises a lot of folks: you don’t need teaching experience, and you don’t need to be an expert. Junior Achievement provides the training, lesson plans, and materials. Volunteers typically spend just a few hours in the classroom, but the impact sticks. According to JA’s alumni data, former students overwhelmingly say the experience helped them build skills like collaboration, critical thinking, and motivation to keep learning. These are the kind of skills that matter no matter where life may take the kids.

Junior Achievement of the Heartland serves 24 counties across Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, which means chances to get involved are right down the road. Whether you’re in Dubuque, Davenport, Moline, or anywhere in between, there are classrooms waiting for someone willing to show up and share a little time.

In many of our small communtities we pride ourselves on looking out for one another. That Midwest mindset of helping where you can, when you can, is what keeps our towns strong. Volunteering isn’t about grand gestures. Honestly, it's just about showing up, being present, and helping the next generation see what’s possible.

If you’ve ever wondered how to make a real difference without rearranging your whole life, this might be it. A few hours. A familiar classroom. And kids who just might remember your visit, longer than you do.