Every year, Queen Creek Unified School District (QCUSD) hosts a field trip for eighth graders to explore the Junior Achievement (JA) Finance Park, a unique, experiential learning place dedicated to imparting important financial skills to students.
JA Finance Park is a replica of a small town featuring numerous businesses. Students then visit each business in the park to learn more about a specific aspect of either economics or finance.
Upon entering the facility, students are greeted and given instructions and tablets prior to their exploration. Each student is assigned a life scenario, complete with a job, family and financial obligations. They then navigate through monthly expenses, in which they must make decisions about housing, transportation, healthcare and other essential aspects of daily life.
QCUSD social studies teacher Mandi Macaro commented on how the goal of this experience is to learn what real life is like.
“There are factors to budgeting and understanding how economics works,” said Macaro. “Some of the feedback I have gotten from students was, ‘I never realized how expensive groceries were.'"
Crismon High School (CHS) student Abigail C. attended the JA Finance Park field trip to help her with her future plans for college and career. In her experience at “the park,” Abigail noted how expensive some aspects are, particularly groceries.
“I wasn’t really the best at budgeting or saving,” said Abigail. “But now that I came, I can understand how things are in the real world. I can now manage and balance out what I need to do to prepare for college and how much money I can spend.”
By encountering financial challenges firsthand, students gain valuable insights that are often absent in a traditional classroom setting.
Crystal Grant, a parent who helped chaperon the CHS field trip, finds the experience an important lesson, exposing the students to understand the importance of budgeting, saving and preparing for their post-graduation plans.
“It really opens their eyes about life,” said Grant. “My son wants to go to a big Ivy League college, and he is learning about saving and what is considered a necessity and what’s not.”
To help fund more education experiences like this, QCUSD schools depends on tax credit donations.
