JA Biztown

On Monday, Will and I volunteered to help out with the 5th Grade JA Biztown field trip. It is SO cool! The kids prepare for weeks ahead of time learning how to keep a check book and interviewing for the job they want, etc. They even hold elections for the town mayor and for the news anchor. Mariah ran for news anchor of BZTV against 10 of her classmates and was the campaign manager for her friend that ran for mayor. Neither of them were elected, but they had so much fun making signs and things! Mariah ended up scoring her 2nd choice job as camera operator at BZTV!

The town consists of 19 businesses that are sponsored by businesses in the area. I oversaw the Best Buy in town and Will oversaw Intel. Each of the kids had to open their Key Bank checking and savings accounts and manage their own money.

Each student had their own job. Each business had a CEO and CFO and they had responsibilities all laid out for them. The kids earned a salary and got paid twice during the day. They were given 2 break periods where they could use their JA bucks to purchase items from the stores in town. There was also a little cafe that they could purchase a cup of soda or popcorn/chips all run by the students!

Best Buy sold small electronic things like light wands, calculators and light up jewelry. The kids could buy things to take home from NW Sports store, like a full size basketball, soccer ball, etc. They also had water bottles and things. There was also an Animal Shelter where you could adopt a "pet" that you got to keep. (Stuffed, of course.) Mariah bought a virtual pet from Best Buy and then bought a soda on each break.

It was such a fun day and all the kids seemed to really enjoy themselves. During Mariah's first break, we were eating (the lunches we brought with us) at the cafe and this boy comes to the counter and orders his soda and then turns toward us and says "This is SO COOL! Kinda like a birthday party....only 500 times BETTER!!!"

Mariah's 5th Grade class with her teacher, Miss Cuddy. Mariah and BF's Svetlana and then Alex

The mayor giving a speech at the opening town meeting