Classroom Plus Volunteers

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Classroom Plus focuses on business and career skills by offering a unique opportunity for business professionals and teachers to work together to educate Minnesota middle school and high school students on topics such as career options, building a resume, interviewing, and business etiquette. Bridging the gap between lessons learned in the classroom and skills utilized in the workplace, this hands-on program brings speakers into classrooms or virtually through presentations and mock interviews.

As a volunteer, you can use your professional experience and knowledge to educate local students on real-life career and business experiences. Learn more below or register to give a presentation, provide a workplace tour, or help students practice their interview skills.

See 2023 Recap

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“I think the program not only gives students a taste of what is out there in terms of a variety of careers, but also shows them that there are different paths they can choose when finding a career. It is also a great source for professionals to truly help the next generation of workers gain ideas."

~ Dina Anderson, Volunteer at Optum

Speaker Topics

Careers speakers share their career path, educational background, and daily responsibilities in fields such as:

Accounting
Business
Carpentry
Communications
Engineering
Finance
Financial Advising
Human Resources
Information Technology
Law
Marketing
Operations
Project Management
Realty
Sales
Sciences
Trades

Topics related to preparation in careers & business:

Business Etiquette: professionalism, workplace communication

Entrepreneurship: innovation, risk & reward

Interviewing*: etiquette & attire, forming good questions & responses, interviewing soft skills

Leadership*: leadership traits, challenges

Networking: what is networking, why is it important, how to network

Personal Branding*: presenting yourself, characteristics of your brand, defining your personal brand

Philanthropy: what is philanthropy, importance of giving

Public Speaking: presentation skills, verbal/nonverbal communication

Resumes*: format & creation, resume builders, what employers look for

Teamwork*: interpersonal communication, conflict resolution, time management

*BestPrep provides presentation

FAQs

Will I get a chance to talk with the teacher before the event?

Yes, we ask that teachers contact volunteers at least a week before they are scheduled to present to share additional details and answer any questions you have. If your presentation is approaching and you have not heard from the teacher, feel free to reach out yourself or let us know.

Are there presentation materials prepared or do I have to prepare them?

Most of the “career in” topics do not have materials because careers in the same field can vary quite a bit from person to person and we want you to be able to talk about your career specifically. We do have a sample PowerPoint that shows what information you may want to include. Most of the career skills topics have materials already created. You are always welcome to make any changes to the materials or use your own if you would prefer.

What if I can’t commit to every request?

We do not expect volunteers will be available for every opportunity we send them. We only ask that you respond within 2 business days so we know to ask another volunteer if you are not available.

What should I do if a teacher reaches out to me directly?

Please either refer the teacher back to BestPrep or let us know that you’re speaking with this class. We want to be sure we have accurate impact numbers.

Will I get feedback from the teacher on my presentation?

We receive surveys after each engagement and will occasionally share some feedback with you. If you would like more feedback feel free to ask us and we can share more with you. Or you can always ask the educator for feedback on your presentation.

What if my contact information or volunteer preferences change?

If any of your information or preferences change, just let us know and we can update it for you. We also send out an email to all active volunteers twice a year with their current preferences and a link to make updates so you will have opportunities to update the information yourself as well.