A.G. Edwards JA Finance Park offers students personal financial management and career exploration through classroom instruction and active participation in a simulated community. Students are excited to learn the challenges of making adult decisions, such as how to pay bills and manage their money for a family.
- Teachers complete training to teach the four-week curriculum. The curriculum incorporates interdisciplinary lessons which utilize the application of math, communication arts, and social studies skills to economic concepts and scenarios.
- Parent volunteers are trained to help on the day of the visit.
- Students spend one day at A.G. Edwards JA Finance Park, where they apply curriculum by making important spending decisions and maintaining a balanced budget.
- Students create a monthly budget based on their personal income and family scenario, which they receive on a “Life Situation” ATM card.
- The A.G. Edwards JA Finance Park facility is divided into housing, mortgage services, banking, clothing, education, food, furniture, health care, home improvement, insurance, investment, real estate, transportation and utilities options. Each business represents a piece of students’ personal budgets.
- By the end of their visit, students will have chosen the best options for their budget, balanced their budget, and paid their monthly bills. Personal finance becomes meaningful and real to students in this experiential learning adventure!
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