Opens in a new tab

Junior Achievement of Polk County – The Barnett Family Discovery Center

The Junior Achievement of Polk County – The Barnett Discovery Center will be an innovative facility consisting of two impactful learning experiences: JA BizTown and JA Finance Park. The Plan for the JA Polk Discovery Center signifies a progressive move to enhance Polk County’s educational landscape.

The JA Polk Discovery Center aims to create a centralized hub for immersive and practical learning experiences. This approach streamlines access to transformative educational opportunities, contributing to Polk County’s reputation as a leader in innovative education and fostering well-rounded, future-ready individuals.

The proximity to the existing 3DE model that exists on the same campus at Tenoroc High School serves as an additional educational resource, contributing to the development of well-rounded and future-ready individuals in Polk County.

JA BizTown

Connecting the dots between what kids learn in school and how it’s applied in the real world isn’t that simple. That’s where JA BizTown comes in! This is an engaging, hands-on program that introduces 5th graders to economic concepts, workplace skills, and personal and business finances in a student-sized town built just for them. Junior Achievement BizTown creates an unmatched experience where students not only discover the intricacies of being a professional and members of the community but also discover the abundance of opportunities available within their city.

Following participation in the program, students will be able to:

  1. Discuss the roles they play as citizens, workers, and consumers in their community and relate those roles to the free enterprise system. 
  2. Discuss the importance of citizen rights and responsibilities in a community Demonstrate a basic understanding of the free enterprise system. 
  3. Build money management skills through a practical knowledge of economic concepts and banking practices. 
  4. Develop an understanding of basic business practices and responsibilities. 
  5. Display the soft skills necessary for successful participation in the world of work.

JA Finance Park

Imagine a generation where young people, no matter their background, know how to budget, save, and invest; a generation that is armed with the confidence and understanding to take control of their financial futures, their careers, and the tools to achieve their dreams. Our mission is to provide students with opportunities to make those dreams a reality. At JA Finance Park students have the rare opportunity to experience their personal financial futures first-hand. Here, 8th-grade students participate in an immersive simulation that enables them to develop skills to successfully navigate today’s complex economic environment and discover how decisions today can impact tomorrow.

Following participation in the program, students will be able to:

  1. Identify personal interests, skills, work preferences, and values.
  2. Identify career interests.
  3. Evaluate the risks and benefits of saving and investing.
  4. Evaluate risk and recognize insurance as a way to minimize it.
  5. Define taxes; explain their purpose; and understand how they affect everyone.
  6. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of using credit and debit cards.
  7. Explain who uses a budget and why.
  8. Identify the components of a successful budget.
  9. Create a successful budget using hypothetical life situations.