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Students get hands-on experience at Biz Town

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By RAFAEL GONZALEZ

Special to the Tribune

Published: October 28, 2009

BRANDON - A group of fifth-grade students from across the county recently had the opportunity to learn about economics and the free enterprise system at Biz Town, a miniature "city." Twenty public and private enterprises were represented, including University Community Hospital, Tampa Electric Co. and The Tampa Tribune.

Ten Brandon Academy students were among those to visit Biz Town on Oct. 12 in the 15,000-square-foot Bill Poe Family Junior Achievement Center in Tampa.

Biz Town, a partnership between Junior Achievement and Hillsborough County public schools, operates through the generosity of volunteers and teachers. The program depends solely on financial donations from individuals, businesses and foundations.

It introduces students to economics and business through classroom instruction and concludes with a daylong hands-on experience in a life-like community where students can apply the concepts they have learned.

After a welcome and orientation session, one student portrayed the mayor and gave a speech highlighting the importance of voting. Others portrayed retail and manufacturing CEOs and presented descriptions of their products and services.

Students ran various businesses, received paychecks, opened bank accounts and became consumers by making purchases in student-run businesses.

The Brandon Academy students were assigned to two posts: University Community Hospital and Professional Services.

Meagan Nation and Mason Foret were health care managers at UCH, where Audrey Sellers served as a receptionist; Alix Sobh was CFO. Colin Castlewitze was CEO; Nikitha Chandrin served as an attorney and Garrett Atkins was a CPA. Katie Troke was executive director of United Way of Tampa Bay, where Andres Gonzalez was a security advisor. Dennis Delic served as CFO of Professional Services.

Students said they enjoyed their experience at Junior Achievement, and especially at Biz Town. They liked working, getting paid and having control over how to spend their hard-earned money, they said.

Rafael Gonzalez is the parent of a Brandon Academy student.

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