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JA BizTown Program

 

Garland ISD has partnered with Junior Achievement of Dallas to bring the popular JA BizTown program to the Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical Center. JA BizTown combines in-class learning with a day-long visit to a simulated town where sixth graders will learn how to be responsible consumers, workers, and citizens. Through participating in activities that develop financial skills, managerial expertise, and civic responsibility, students will connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world.

Curriculum

The JA BizTown curriculum aligns with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) by introducing basic business and economic concepts. Prior to attending, students will progress through 12 required teacher-taught classroom lessons covering the following concepts:

  • Bank services and practices
  • Role of government in an economy
  • The role of money in a free market economy
  • Goods and services
  • Taxes and payroll
  • Rights and responsibilities of citizenship
  • Applying for a job
  • Understanding price, profits and production
  • Exploring different careers (including STEM)
  • Philanthropy

Attending JA BizTown

After completing the pre-coursework, sixth graders will travel to the Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical Center to participate in the day-long JA BizTown simulation. Throughout the day, students will have the opportunity to participate in the following real-world, experiential activities:

  • Managing a business
  • Taking out a loan
  • Using a debit card
  • Earning a paycheck
  • Opening a savings account
  • Paying taxes
  • Buying goods, services, and health insurance
  • Voting
  • Recycling
  • Philanthropy/charity support or corporate social responsibility
  • Utilizing STEM skills
  • Working as a team
  • Goal setting
  • Complete a career assessment
  • Problem solving

After the visit, students will participate in a final debriefing lesson where they reflect on their experience and further identify the relevance of classroom learning to their future goals.

2017-18 GISD attendance

All GISD sixth graders will have the opportunity to attend JA BizTown. Trip details and volunteer information will be sent home by each campus.

See 2017-18 JA BizTown Attendance Dates.

Attending from outside the district

If you are a teacher interested in bringing your class to the program, please contact Kishawna Wiggins.

Partnerships

To help bring JA BizTown to life, we are partnering with several businesses and community groups. Current partnerships include American Airlines, AT&T, Atmos, Wells Fargo, SMU, Toyota, and the cities of Garland Rowlett and Sachse just to name a few. If your enterprise, nonprofit, or government entity is interested in partnering with the program, please contact Kishawna Wiggins.

Volunteer opportunities

Junior Achievement of Dallas relies on local volunteers to help make their programs successful. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact jabiztown@jadallas.org.

More information

If you have any additional questions or concerns regarding the JA Biztown program, please contact Kishawna Wiggins.