At Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, young students can practice being a company’s CEO — or even a university president — for a day during a mock-city experience.
UNLV has partnered with Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, a nonprofit organization providing lessons in financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship to positively impact the lives of students. Junior Achievement has more than 100 chapters in the United States, and Southern Nevada’s chapter reaches over 20,000 students annually throughout Clark County with the help of education providers and local volunteers.
“UNLV is proud to partner with Junior Achievement in its longstanding vision to teach young people important financial management and career readiness skills,” said UNLV President Keith E. Whitfield. “Students who participate in Junior Achievement programming can become more confident in managing their money which contributes to their likelihood of earning a college degree and career success. They’re learning financial literacy skills in practical, engaging ways that will last a lifetime.”
Junior Achievement offers two programs to different groups of students: Biztown and Finance Park.
BizTown, tailored for 4th, 5th, and 6th graders, immerses students in a simulated economy where they can run businesses, request loans, pay taxes, and purchase goods after depositing their “paychecks” at the bank. Students are in charge of how their businesses operate and engage in business-to-business and business-to-consumer sales. The program introduces the concept of industries and how businesses operate, providing students with a practical understanding of the business world.
The BizTown program combines education and work, helping students increase their qualifications for certain jobs. During break time, students do educational activities to earn certificates. Then, they can show these certificates to their supervisors to ask for a raise. This demonstrates how education can directly affect how much money students can make.
Finance Park helps high school learn budgeting skills and gain hands-on experience managing their finances. Students explore various careers and make budget decisions based on real-life scenarios, making decisions about their money and understanding the implications of their spending. This program prepares students to participate in the economy and emphasizes the importance of higher education for earning potential.
Both programs are designed to instill practical financial and business skills in students at different stages of their academic journeys, preparing them for the challenges and opportunities of the modern economy. Research shows that Junior Achievement alumni are more likely to have a college degree, feel confident managing money, have career success, and have started a business as an adult.
“Junior Achievement programs are life changing experiences for young people. BizTown and Finance Park experiences help lay the foundation for financial literacy that students can build upon to create financial wellness in adulthood,” said Kate Korgan, senior vice provost for Academic Affairs.
“Here at UNLV, we are continuing this work through our Institute for Financial Literacy and Wellness, where we offer financial education to students and, soon, to faculty, staff, and the community. We’re very grateful to Junior Achievement for their path-breaking work in this area and for their partnership promoting financial literacy in Southern Nevada.”
