"I want to own a pet store; I really love animals," said Samantha, a Grade 3 student at Mary Street Community School.

Thanks to a special Junior Achievement and Rotary Club of Oshawa Parkwood partnership she has received a little lesson in what it takes to succeed in pursuing her goal.

Samantha was one of 50 students at Mary Street Community School in downtown Oshawa who recently participated in a Junior Achievement program aimed at explaining some business principles and underscoring the importance of staying in school.

Six Rotarians delivered programs at the downtown Oshawa school including Business Basics -- Our Community for the Grade 3 class. The Grade 5 students also participated in a similar program called the Economics of Staying in School.

Funded by a donation of the Oshawa Parkwood Rotary Club, these programs teach students a variety of key lessons about what business involves and its impact on the community. Grade 8 students took part in a longer full-day program that stressed the importance of obtaining post-secondary education.

Grade 3 teacher Marni Deklerk said the program was appreciated and connected well with the Ontario curriculum expectations. Students had an opportunity to practise their interviewing skills by asking an adult about a job they would like.

"Junior Achievement provided my students with the opportunity to learn the importance of each job in our community," Ms. Deklerk said. "The children learned the difference between "needs" and "wants" and how to become a productive member of society."

Considered a "high-needs school," Mary Street Community school needs and deserves the advantages that JA programs provide, said Kathleen Hutton, director of programs for Junior Achievement.

Marion Mills, a retired teacher and Rotary member who helped deliver the Grade 3 program, said she was happy to volunteer for a program that provided a good fit with the Rotary motto -- service above self.

"It's great to give back to the community," she said. "I hope the children are better able to see the interconnectedness in the community and the important part people play in the community."

Junior Achievement of Eastern Ontario provides all in-class materials and trains the volunteers. Across Durham and surrounding area, more than 14,100 elementary and secondary students will benefit this school year from JA programs.