How financial institutions and businesses are helping students gain real-world money skills through hands-on experiences and education
For millions of students across the country, understanding how money actually works can feel intimidating – whether they’re spending, saving, or strategizing for the future. That is until they step into JA BizTown. Developed by Junior Achievement USA, the experiential learning program takes financial literacy from classroom concepts to hands-on discovery. In the immersive town simulation, students step into real-world roles, including running businesses, earning paychecks, paying taxes, voting for mayor, and managing their own bank accounts, with some even working at a bank. It’s an everyday life lesson into how the economy really works.
According to Junior Achievement, the immersive learning at JA BizTown “combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town where students build money-management skills through a practical knowledge of economic concepts and banking practices.” Through these experiences, young people can connect what they’ve learned to the real-life choices that impact families, communities, and economies. “Students were fully immersed in hands-on, purpose-driven learning,” says Marissa House, a teacher at St. Agnes Academy in Memphis. “They began to truly grasp how their knowledge can shape and influence a community.”
At the heart of JA BizTown is a recognition of the essential role of banking and a belief that knowing how money really works opens doors to success, now and in the future. Through every interaction, students gain confidence in managing money and understanding economic impact beyond the classroom. In each simulation, students open accounts, deposit paychecks, and decide what to do with their money – whether they should save, spend, or invest. Students also take on roles as bank staff, loan officers, business owners, and customers, practicing transactions and consultations that are the linchpin of real financial institutions.
At JA BizTown in Edison, NJ, that connection comes to life through a partnership between Citizens and Junior Achievement of New Jersey, so young people can have direct experience with financial decision-making. “One of the most important things we do at Citizens is provide financial education and guidance to empower our customers, colleagues, and communities,” says Danny Lee, retail district manager at Citizens. “I’m proud to link the two organizations in this way and be the bank that kids will see when they visit BizTown to learn money management skills, economic concepts, and banking practices.”
Even more than partnerships, volunteers from banks and credit unions play a vital role in bringing BizTown to life – consulting with and coaching students as they navigate business operations and financial choices. “This is the students’ first experience of being a ‘grown up,’” says Andrew Nash, a Bank of America corporate volunteer for the Junior Achievement chapter in Central Maryland. “It’s been exciting to teach the students about business and finance through this simulation. They really are working, earning their paychecks, and then have the ability to decide what they’ll do with that paycheck once it’s in their hands.”
Banks and credit unions understand that programs like JA BizTown represent opportunity and purpose. Supporting financial education, sponsoring a bank storefront, or volunteering in BizTown are all ways institutions help young people connect what they learn today to the financial decisions they’ll make tomorrow. As the banking industry continues to evolve, JA BizTown ensures the next generation is prepared to participate positively in creating their future success. For students, it’s an inspiring introduction to independence. For financial institutions, it’s a powerful way to make a lasting impact in their communities.
If you’re a banking leader looking for ways to lead change in your communities, get in touch with the experts at Adrenaline.
*Image of JA BizTown Gwinnett courtesy of Junior Achievement Georgia
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