PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY
Junior Achievement Brings Financial Literacy to County Youth
Multi-Million Prince George’s Facility Targets Eighth Graders By William J. Ford WI Staff Writer @jabariwill Isaiah Scott took on the identity of a single man working as an office assistant with a $2,000 monthly salary while Kyree Freeman Davis became a cable operator, earning $5,000 a month with a child and a stayhome wife. Both boys, along with the rest of their eighth-grade classmates from Benjamin Tasker Middle School in Bowie became the first students in Prince George’s County on Tuesday, Oct. 27 to visit the Junior Achievement Finance Park in Landover. The $3.8 million building will serve more than 9,000 eighth graders who receive lessons in financial literacy and fiscal responsibility. “Before I could do things I wanted to do and buy nice cars and stuff, I had to look out for them before I could look out for me,” said Freeman, who turned 14 on Tuesday. “Now I see the struggle [my mom] goes through. I respect my mom even more now.” Leaders from across the region attended the grand open-
ing of the finance park near the campus of G. James Gholson Middle School/Cora L. Rice Elementary School. It becomes the first building in the state of Maryland by Junior Achievement of Greater Washington that mirrors one of its structures in Fairfax, Virginia. The 13,500-square-foot building will operate as a mini shopping center with businesses such as Chick-fil-A, Pepco and Prince George’s Community College. Students must first follow a financial curriculum in the classroom before they visit the finance park. They will take 14 lessons broken down into four categories: income; saving, investing and risk management; debit and credit; and budget. Concepts include: defining and explaining the purpose of taxes and its impact on income; identifying the benefits of saving a portion of income for future use; understanding the difference between debit and credit cards; and setting goals on preparing a financial plan. After the lessons are complete, each student will visit the finance park and receive a tablet to create
a budget. As part of the financial simulation, a student will have a credit score, salary and life scenario such as being single, married, or married with children. A student will walk to a specific storefront, or business, in the finance park and seek to purchase food, a car, or secure a home loan. For example, if a student doesn’t have enough money to purchase a vehicle, then he/she must create an account for public transportation. “[Junior Achievement] Finance Park is about teaching our young people how to be responsible adults because one day we are going to need them,” said Councilwoman Andrea C. Harrison (D-District 5) of Springdale. “This is a great day for Prince George’s County and our children.” Ed Grenier, president and CEO of Junior Achievement of Greater Washington who grew up in Adelphi, said teaching youth about finances helps to avoid future problems as adults. “Why start in middle school to handle finances? That’s when we start cutting lawns and doing
A SEMINAR ON DOING BUSINESS WITH CHARLES COUNTY GOVERNMENT Thursday, November 5 9:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
To RSVP please email Lucinia Mundy at: MundyL@CharlesCountyMD.gov or call 301-885-1334.
Learn How To: Certify your small locally-owned business with the county’s Small Local Business Enterprise Program Register your minority-owned business with the county’s Minority Business Enterprise Program Access county business opportunities and business development support Meet county buyers and successful business owners Seminar to be held at: Charles County Government Building • 200 Baltimore Street • La Plata, MD 20646 Government Conference Room (Blue Room) Charles County Government • P.O. Box 2150 • 200 Baltimore St. La Plata, MD 301-645-0550 • 301-870-3000 • MD Relay: 7-1-1 Equal Opportunity County • www.CharlesCountyMD.gov
12 Oct 29 - Nov 4, 2015
The Washington Informer
Prince George’s County Councilwoman Andrea C. Harrison (D-District 5) of Springdale says the Junior Achievement Finance Park in Landover, Maryland, will help students become responsible adults. Harrison was among dozens of federal, state, county and school officials and business leaders to attend a grand opening ceremony of the $3.8M building Tuesday, Oct. 27. /Photo by Corey Parrish
Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot talks about the importance of financial literacy during a grand opening ceremony Tuesday, Oct. 27 at the $3.8M Junior Achievement Finance Park in Landover, Maryland. /Photo by Corey Parrish
odd jobs and babysitting. We start getting money and spending habits are created,” he said. “One of the main skill sets you need [as adult] is managing money. Everybody needs to learn this.” A similar finance park will open in Montgomery County in 2017 on the fourth floor of the new Thomas Edison High School of Technology in Wheaton. The program will serve 12,000 seventh-grade students a year. Once that program begins, the D.C. area will have three financial literacy sites. Junior Achievement headquartered in Colorado Springs, Colorado, began the finance park program in 2003. There are cur-
rently 18 permanent structures nationwide with 11 mobile sites and 36 local Junior Achievement chapters with online versions of the program. Meanwhile, the students from Benjamin Tasker in Bowie have already learned quite a bit. Scott, 13, said learning about finances helped him create a savings account last month. So far, he has $20. “When I don’t get those things I [want], I knew I had to step up and make some changes for myself,” he said. “When it starts snowing, I’m planning to start shoveling some snow. I’m really trying to save money and get a car…by the time I get my [driver’s] license.” WI
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