I have had several students say that they didn't realize how hard life was for their parents, and that the simulation taught them a lot about making good decisions. One student said that they would start helping around the house to make things easier for their parents. I even had a student say they would never have kids because they were so expensive! They've truly learned a lot about the difficulties of adult budgeting. - JA Finance Park Teacher
"The most important thing I learned at JA Finance Park was how to make a budget. Budgets help you manage money and become awesome." -7th Grade Student
Biztown
JA BizTown is a wonderful chance to encourage kids to use the gifts they did not know they had and develop those that have already been identified. "
-6th Grade Teacher
When my daughter came home from school yesterday, she hugged me and her father and said "Thank you for all you do for us." She went on to explain how her class was challenged to create a budget for a family of four. They were assigned a salary and then required to make budgeting decisions. She said that the students realized they have taken many things for granted. This experience provided my children and their classmates with a great opportunity to learn about business, leadership, fiscal responsibility, and volunteerism. I wanted to thank JA for providing an experience that will stay with my family for a long time. - Parent of a JA student
“This process has helped my students understand the importance of budgeting. A lot of my students are from poverty areas and are not exposed to life in this way. I really appreciate the patience and kindness of JA staff and volunteers.”
Columbia Middle School Teacher
“This was one of the best prepared group of students I have worked with in JA BizTown”