Junior Achievement (JA) of Washington celebrated the grand opening of two Comcast spaces in JA BizTown® and JA Finance Park® at the JA Education Center in Auburn on November 19. The ribbon-cutting ceremony marked the culmination of many months of planning and partnership with Comcast to bring these exciting new learning experiences to thousands of JA students from around the state.
As a JA partner, Comcast joins 30 businesses and organizations featured at JA BizTown and JA Finance. These indoor mini-cities offer immersive learning experience for students in grades 4 through 12, empowering young people to step into the world of work and community leadership. Each year, over 15,000 students participate in this transformative experience, bringing months of classroom learning to life with a full day of hands-on career exploration, teamwork, and financial literacy activities.
In the new Comcast experience at JA BizTown, students can take on various roles, including CEO, CFO, Sales Consultant, and Technician. They participate in town hall meetings, manage payroll and finances, develop sales and marketing materials, deliver modems to other businesses in town, and conduct cybersecurity checks to keep operations secure. Though scaled for young learners, these activities provide a realistic glimpse into the professional responsibilities required to operate a successful business.
The JA BizTown experience is central to JA’s experiential learning for elementary school students, immersing 4th through 6th graders in running a simulated city complete with city hall, restaurants, museums, and retail stores at the JA Education.
JA Finance Park extends the learning to middle school students in grades 7 through 12, focusing on personal financial planning and career exploration. Through this program, students build a foundation for making informed financial choices, covering everything from budgeting to managing expenses, savings, and credit. At the new Comcast learning space in JA Finance Park, students take on a new “adult” persona, complete with a job, income, and family, and must navigate the expenses related to internet, phone, and TV services as they strive to balance their monthly budget. Comcast’s innovative “life-scenario” dice rolling game allows students to navigate real-world financial decisions in a fun and educational way, fostering critical thinking and practical skills.
“We are thrilled to welcome Comcast’s new storefronts to JA BizTown and JA Finance Park, where students can connect to the real world of work and business through hands-on experiential learning,” said Natalie Vega O’Neil, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Washington. “These storefronts are more than just engaging spaces; they help young people learn critical skills in financial literacy, technology, and teamwork. By partnering with Comcast, we are equipping them with practical tools to thrive in the modern economy.”
The programs at the JA Education Center are instrumental in preparing young people to own their economic success, thrive in a global economy, and reach for their dreams. Over the past 71 years, Junior Achievement of Washington has reached over two million students, teaching these future leaders critical life skills in financial literacy, career readiness, and entrepreneurship.
“We are proud to support Junior Achievement’s mission of preparing young people for economic success, and we are excited to enhance financial literacy and work readiness for students in Washington. Together, we will inspire the next generation of innovators and creators through programs like JA BizTown and JA Finance Park,” said Marianne Bichsel, Vice President of External Affairs, Comcast.
