LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – It’s a mini-town within Las Vegas, where kids are in charge.
Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada opened Betty’s BizTown facility to allow kids to explore different career paths while teaching them about finances and other aspects of adulthood, like childcare, health insurance, banking, and voting.
Meet the mayor of Betty’s BizTown, Ayvah! “I’m excited to work with my team,” she said. “There’s a county clerk, an accountant, and a CFO.”
Ayvah is younger than most city mayors — but so is the banker, police officer, firefighter, and everyone else running BizTown.
“It’s an opportunity for our students to get real-life skills,” said 5th grade teacher Alison. “They’re able to do city of Las Vegas jobs, they’re able to do bank jobs, Caesars Palace, and a number of other opportunities.”
Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada opened Betty’s BizTown in May.
It’s a mini–Las Vegas — complete with a city hall, 20 storefronts, and 19 different industries for students to explore.
“Sometimes, students struggle with understanding, ‘I’m really good at math, but I don’t know what that equates to for me for a career and something I want to do that I would love doing, or maybe they’re really artistic,” said Michelle Jackson, President/CEO of Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada.
“I feel like I want to be an author to entertain others that need it,” said Ayvah.
“We teach them how to interview and eye contact, shake somebody’s hand, all those soft skills that everybody needs to know,” said Jackson. “Plus, they get a solid understanding of how the economy works and what it means to have a job and have a paycheck and make decisions for themselves personally financially and also for the businesses they’re running.”
BizTown is open for school groups, and, starting next year, summer camps, too — where kids can pursue different career paths in a city where the kids make the rules.
Jackson says this huge facility is one of only 41 in the country.
The project, years in the making, was supported by partners like Lexicon Bank.
To learn more about Junior Achievement of Southern Nevada, click here.
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