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 environments for elementary through high school students.

 

JA Finance Park and JA BizTown allow 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

Fourth to sixth-grade students may not be old enough to drive, work, vote, or be the boss yet; but that does not stop them from operating banks, managing restaurants, writing checks, using debit cards, and voting for a mayor at JA BizTown, where students connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world.

The goals of JA BizTown are to:

• Discuss the roles they play as citizens, employees, and consumers in their community and relate those roles to the market economy.
• Discuss the importance of citizen rights and responsibilities in a community.
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the free-enterprise system.
• Foster money management skills through practical experiences of economic concepts and banking practices.
• Develop an understanding of foundational business practices and responsibilities.
• Display the soft skills essential for successful participation in the world of work and career building.

At JA Finance Park, students in grades 7-12 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. 

 

The goals of JA Finance Park 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.

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. Following a 12-lesson curriculum, they will be prepared to assume job responsibilities, manage bank accounts, and experience life as a consumer/employee.
Grades: 4-6

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!