Students Learn Valuable Skills at BizTown
LEARNING SKILLS: Broken Arrow Public Schools, with the help from multiple organizations throughout the community have brought a new opportunity to fifth grade students. This year, Junior Achievement’s BizTown has been added to the list of classroom objectives.
Over 1,200 plus fifth grade students from Broken Arrow Public Schools are taking part in Junior Achievement’s BizTown this year thanks to the generosity of Partners in Education, local civic groups and school PTA units.
The $17 price tag for each student to participate in the interactive simulated town facility was problematic for the Broken Arrow Public Schools budget this year.
Local business leaders and parents wanted to make sure the students had the opportunity to experience the hands-on activities that focus on putting classroom lessons into real-world use in a make-believe city that features business and service organizations managed by the students.
In addition to the business and service lessons that BizTown provides, students also learned about the importance of community support thanks to financial donations and contributions from Target, Partner in Education, FirsTitle & Abstract, B.A. Rotary Club, B.A. Civitans and the Parent Teacher Associations from Arrowhead, Country Lane, Indian Springs, Leisure Park, Oak Crest, Lynn Wood, Park Lane and Wolf Creek.
“The Broken Arrow Area Chamber of Commerce’s Education Committee had a vision that all the district’s fifth graders could participate,” Broken Arrow Rotary Club member Jeff Hewett says. “When Rotary heard about that vision and the difficulty that some schools were having in making the vision a reality, we wanted to get involved to help out the schools so that all fifth grade students could take part in this exceptional program.”
Indian Springs Elementary was among the schools to benefit from the Rotary Club’s donation. Indian Springs students attended BizTown Feb. 5. Teacher Ed Hodge said the experience is one of the highlights of the entire year for fifth graders.
“This wonderful real world simulation is a once in a lifetime experience for the fifth grade students of Broken Arrow Public Schools. Many students would have missed out on the hands-on learning experiences that enhance our curriculum in civics and economics without the help of the supportive groups.”
Rhoades Principal Sherri Kindley, whose students will go to BizTown Feb. 25, said the support for BizTown is just another example of the kindness provided year-round by Broken Arrow’s outstanding Partners in Education program.
Updated 02-23-2010
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