Ambassadorship
About Ambassadorship
JMA’s is designed to create long-lasting impacts on students and in the community, beyond the direct lessons JMA provides for its students. Enter: the Ambassador Program. Upon completion of a course through JMA, students are eligible to apply for Ambassadorship, a direct line to creating your own chapter in your community.
Ambassadorship makes creating your own chapter easier.
We know that you have the knowledge effectively run your own chapter. Combine that with experience in a JMA program and a pre-existing line of communication between us, and the logistics of setting up your own chapter becomes easy.
How It Works
Learn
Complete a course through JMA to become eligible. This can be through an already-established chapter or one of our virtual programs.
Get in Touch
Depending on the program you complete, you may either have to reach out to us on your own or you will receive an email inviting you to join the program.
If you have completed a lesson with us and would like to join the Ambassador Program, contact us here.
Next Steps
If accepted to move forward with the Ambassadorship Program, you will receive a document outlining all the steps you need to take to get started.
Teach
After completing all the pre-work, you’re ready to start teaching and working with your own chapter!
Frequently Asked Questions
Design your chapter as you see fit.
We recognize that every city is unique, and there’s no one-size-fit-all formula to be applied to every chapter. Our local chapter leaders are crucial in supporting JMA’s work and adjusting curriculum and lesons to serve their community. Because of this, you will have a lot of leeway in designing your chapter.
What is the time commitment?
Setting up your chapter is a reasonable, but very flexible time commitment. After deciding logistics (of who will teach, publicizing the lessons, and and reaching out to schools within your community) everything is smooth sailing. After your chapter is set up, you decide what your time commitment will look like. You can choose how long to meet for and how often to meet to fit your schedule!
Am I only allowed to teach the BioTech Curriculum?
No! You can choose from a variety of curriculum that we offer. The document outlining the next steps for you to take after being accepted into the Ambassador Program includes a list of and access to the curriculum that you can teach at your lessons.
Check out our core biology curriculum for elementary school and our biotechnology curriculum for middle/high school!
Where do I set up my chapter?
Chapters can be set up in your local elementary or middle school, library, low-income apartment complex, orphanage, homeless shelter, or community center. Basically, you can set up your chapter where you think it will be the most successful, and have the most impact!
How old do I have to be an Ambassador?
There is no age restriction! If you are excelling in the lessons and understanding the material, we invite you to join our Ambassador Program, no matter your age.
Can I create an online chapter via Zoom?
During the COVID-19 pandemic, all lessons must be taught remotely. This can be done through Zoom or any other platform that you and your community feel comfortable using. We are strictly enforcing this rule to reduce community transmission of the virus and keep the people around us safe.
A decision concerning the permanent use of online platforms for virtual learning is still pending. Please contact us directly with any further questions regarding online lessons.
How many students should be in one chapter?
However many you feel comfortable with.
Chapters can be as small as a few students or as large as a few hundred. It’s all dependent on how many students you feel comfortable teaching at one time, and the volunteer force you have.
We work closely with all our ambassadors.
You may be running your own chapter, but you’re still part of the JMA team, and we will always support you. We will provide you access to all our curriculum that you can use to teach, and we will help you get into contact with local schools and community centers to reach out to potential students.
Can I set up a chapter with other people?
Yes, you can. If you have a friend who is interested in the running chapter with you or met someone in our lessons who lives in the same area as you, you can absolutely set up and run your chapter together.
Is there an application?
This depends on the program you completed. If you were part of one of our larger programs with dozens of students in it, we may include a formal application and/or vetting process to ensure that you are equipped to teach other students.
If there is an application process and you do not get in the first time around, please apply later in the future! Don’t be afraid to ask for feedback to learn about skills you can work on to ensure acceptance into the program at a later date.
I don't want to be part of the program right now. Can I join later?
Absolutely! As long as you completed one of our lessons, you are eligible for the program now and at any point in the future. When you’re ready to join the program, contact us, and we can get started.
What is the difference between the Ambassador Program and just creating my own chapter?
Because you’ve completed a course or lesson with us, we know that you are comfortable with the content and curriculum that JMA works with. You also have experienced how we structure our classes and how we teach complex biology and STEM concepts to students. This informs us at JMA that you have the tools and experience necessary to run a successful JMA chapter.
If you were to just create your own chapter outside of the Ambassador Program, the vetting and approval process to start your own chapter would be significantly harder.
Can I get volunteer hours?
Yes! As a 501c(3) nonprofit, JMA is a Presidential Volunteering Service Award (PVSA) certified organization for those in the US. We can grant bronze, silver, gold PVSA’s and more.
Please contact info@jma.education with your volunteer hours (and the hours of anyone else in your organization) to receive your hours and/or awards.
Questions?
Contact us with any further questions you have about the program.
Ready to become an Ambassador?
We’re so excited for you to join the JMA team! Fill out this form to get started.