TEMPE, AZ — What’s been described by some grade school students as their “favorite day in elementary school” just added a new partnership.
At just 11 years old, Cali Anderson was hired as the CEO of the Bell Bank inside Junior Achievement’s Biztown.
For a full day, she endured the stresses of the real world. Collecting debts from her classmates who all had a job at a workplace - you’ve likely seen around town like the Arizona Diamondbacks, Honor Health, Goodwill, and Chic-Fil-A to name a few.
“I think that school personally is a little easier than work,” said Anderson.
More than 170-thousand Arizona grade school students and older come through Biztown, every year.
Four out of five Junior Achievement alumni report the program played an important role in choosing their career path. More than 50% of JA alumni have started or run their own business.
Leading up to the commonly described exhausting workday, students apply and are interviewed for job selection all while learning about financial literacy and applying a business plan.
Junior achievement COO, Anne Landers, gives an example saying, ”They all want to be a DJ and when they’re running behind on their bank loan, they’re slapping up signs saying 50 cents for a friend shoutout request,” she said.
The newest workplace is one where the job is determined by possibilities. A partnership some maybe were surprised wasn’t already established.
Junior Achievement cut the ribbon on an ASU workplace at Biztown.
Students can take a quiz, learn about what job they may be qualified for, and even visualize the glory of graduation.
So what better way to visualize success than having a time machine for students to travel directly there?
“Here’s the reality, kids don’t know what to dream, if they don’t know it’s possible. That’s a critical part of what we’re doing together is to imagine those possibilities,” said Landers.
Cali never knew what it was like to be CEO. Who knows, her job at the Bank in Biztown may be a glimpse into her future.
“I have older siblings so I’m never really in charge, so to be in charge made me feel really good,” said Anderson.
