JA Finance Park and JA Biztown - JASTL

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JA Finance Park and JA BizTown is all that, and more. These financial literacy laboratories exist to inspire and prepare youth to succeed. There is no question about it: Financial literacy and sound money management skills are essential to success. Today more than ever, young adults need a strong foundation for making intelligent, lifelong, personal financial decisions.

 

To improve the financial literacy of our future business leaders and employees, Junior Achievement has created an exciting reality-based learning environment for middle and high school students.

 

JA Finance Park and JA BizTown allows middle and high-school grade students to see, touch, and live the experience of personal finance in a real-life setting of stores, shops, and financial institutions, by basically becoming "an adult for the day."

 

Program Goals

The goals of JA Finance Park and JA BizTown are to: 

• Teach students to develop and follow a monthly budget
• Help students to research and understand the actual "costs of living" for the basic necessities of life
• Encourage students to develop and demonstrate personal responsibility for learning and self-management
• Communicate and work with schools to promote the highest level of student achievement
• Challenge students to think critically, creatively, analyze tasks, and solve problems

At JA Finance Park and JA BizTown, students are given a unique life profile after answering a series of future life-style questions. Their life profile includes an income, marital status, even kids! Using this new adult persona, students work to create a balanced monthly budget while making decisions regarding housing, transportation, insurance, savings, entertainment expenses and much more. 

 

How You Can Participate

Volunteers are needed to mentor small groups of students throughout their day at JA Finance Park and JA BizTown.  No special budgeting expertise or preparation is necessary and thorough training is provided for all volunteers!

Related Events

JA BizTown Homeschool Visit Day

When: Tuesday, 25 Mar 2025

Where: Junior Achievement Dennis & Judy Jones Free Enterprise Center

Time: 9:30 AM CST

Homeschool students come to JA BizTown for a simulation visit day from 9:30 AM - 2 PM. They will be prepared to assume job responsibilities, manage bank accounts, and experience life as a consumer/employee.

SOLD OUT for 2025. Please email Shelly Warner (swarner@jastl.org) to join the waiting list.

JA Finance Park Homeschool Visit Day

When: Tuesday, 08 Apr 2025

Where: Junior Achievement Dennis & Judy Jones Free Enterprise Center

Time: 9:30 AM CST

Following a 12-lesson (Middle School) or 7-lesson (High School) curriculum, homeschool students come to JA Finance Park for a simulation visit day from 9:30 AM - 2:00 PM. In the tablet-based program, students explore and learn about different budget categories, create a budget, make purchasing decisions, and pay for their expenses.

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Any questions? Contact us!