By Jeff Patterson
Reprinted with permission from The Fort Mill Times
Reprinted with permission from The Fort Mill Times
Left: Rachel Prescott works as a line tech for Duke Energy during the program held by Junior Achievement.
FORT MILL -- Josh Causey had only run concession stands for school events in the past, but this was his first time running his own food company.
Causey was one of 92 fifth-graders from Springfield Elementary School who participated in Junior Achievement Biztown, a program that gives students opportunities to take on the roles of business professionals in a simulated town and economy.
“They’re learning real-life skills that they’re going to need,” Krista Taylor said.
Taylor teaches fifth grade at Springfield and said the program helps students gain skills they might not otherwise learn in typical classrooms.
Biztown was held Oct. 28 in Charlotte.
Through the semester, students took on additional responsibilities in class to prepare for the Biztown event. Students wrote resumes and applied for jobs. Springfield brought in employees from local businesses to interview students for various positions. Other students ran in an election in which students voted for mayor. Tori Morgan was elected to run the town.
“It’s kind of stressful,” she said.
Morgan said she ran for mayor because she likes to lead others. She spent much of the morning at Biztown filling out paperwork and preparing for town halls. During one town hall meeting, Morgan stood on a stage in front of her peers and introduced the chief executive officers of the various businesses.
Elaine Griffith was one of those CEOs. Griffith ran the company that specialized in making signs.
“It’s the closest thing to designing,” Griffith said.
Griffith told her fellow citizens about the products her business offered and where they could find her store. Local business owners needed the information – especially since every business had to design signs for their stores, along with radio and newspaper advertisements.
Biztown includes businesses ranging from a medical clinic to a tourism company. The town has a bank that maintains accounts for all of the companies. A postal service delivers notes from students and companies. The town even has a newspaper produced by student reporters. All the while, a student-run radio station pumps age-appropriate beats through the town.
Springfield has participated in the program for nine years. Ann Elliott, executive director of Junior Achievement for the Catawba Region, said Biztown serves an essential purpose – keeping students engaged.
“Students need to learn why what they learn in school is important to their future,” Elliott said.
Elliott said students must use all of their reading, writing and math skills to be successful. For example, they manage budgets and write notes and business reports. The science and research companies emphasize science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or S.T.E.M.
Reporter Grace Totherow interviews nutritionist Macy McKee at the Junior Acheivement program
Mayor: Tori Morgan, Seated
L to R: Kevin Atkinson, Medical Center CFO; Elaine Griffith, Signs & More CEO;
Josh Causey, Food Court CEO; Abby Adams, Newspaper CFO; and Meredith Pool, Newspaper Editor
