It's a Program! It's a Place! It's JA BizTown!

Elementary & Middle School kids are not old enough to drive, work, date or be the boss.  But that does not stop them from yearning to experience some of the things adulthood.  But how? Where?

Simple! Through the JA BizTown experience!

JA BizTown combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to JA BizTown.  This is a fully interactive, true-to-life, simulated town experience where students learn the fundamental relationship between academics and life beyond school.

Located in Owings Mills, Maryland, Junior Achievement’s BizTown is an interactive 10,000 sq.-ft. miniature town designed to reflect the growing importance of "real world" technology and communications. Through the authentic learning experience, students learn first-hand what it takes to create a business, produce a newspaper, supervise employees, and hold elected offices, as well as personally earn and manage money. All lessons are correlated to the Maryland Voluntary Standards.

Here's what everybody is saying...
"Walking aorund JA BizTown writing checks, applying for bank loans, and assuming the role of a CEO, CFO or radio station disc jockey may feel like fun and games for students.  But the fact is, JA BizTown puts the game of life into serious context for kids by helping them connect the dots between what they learn in school and how financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship-the economics of life-play out in the real world."  -Jack Kosakowski (President, Junior Achievement USA & EVP/COO of JA Worldwide)

"As part of our School Improvement Plan, our team wanted to focus on increasing our scores in social studies and increasing parental involvement.  The program met both of these outcomes." -Mr. Wayne R. Bark, Principal, Crofton Elementary School 

"I felt so much more mature working like my parents, filling out checks, getting a paycheck, it was a blast.  I don't know what I would do if I didn't have the knowledge I do now." -Eliza, 5th Grader, Riderwood Elementary

                            
  
JA BizTown Rocks!
The JA BizTown experience is taught by the teacher using a four-week, in-class curriculum that encompasses financial literacy, work readiness, and entrepreneurship--the 'Economics of Life.'  Next students pack up and head to JA BizTown for an exhilarating day-long, simulated experience.

Big Life Lessons Learned:

• The rights and responsibilities of citizenship.
• The steps needed to apply for and obtain a job, and the critical thinking, problem-solving, team-work and leadership skills that will help them succeed in that job, and their academic career as well!
• To tend to their 'needs' before their 'wants.'
• To write checks and manage their money.
• About the circular flow of goods, services and resources in an economy, including how taxes and government fit into it all.
• How to start, finance and manage a business that will bring jobs to their economy.
• The relevance of what their learning in school to the real world!!!

JA BizTown Correlations
For correlations to 6th grade math, social studies and language arts, coming soon.
For correlations to 5th grade math, social studies and language arts, click here.
For correlations to 4th grade math, social studies and language arts, click here.

JA BizTown Complements the MSA
JA BizTown is directly aligned to reinforce Maryland's math, language arts, economics and social studies concepts taught in grades K- 6. The program also incorporates content aligned with the desired learning outcomes for math, reading and writing.  BizTown is an authentic interactive experience allowing students to apply and expand their classroom knowledge, problem solving and critical thinking skills.

"BizTown is a wonderful way for students to make authentic Career Connections. The children displayed an enthusiasm for learning that was evident by their active engagement in their conversations with me." -Dr. Nancy S. Grasmick, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools

"The entire program is well thought out, strengthened with a sound curriculum, and provides an excellent opportunity to blend theory and practice." -Dr. Ronald J. Valenti, Maryland Superintendent of Catholic Schools

"BizTown incorporates many of the concepts and benchmarks we teach the students in the classroom and allows them to see how those individual skills are used in real life." -Sandymount Elementary 5^th Grade Teaching Team