Garland ISD is home to the popular JA BizTown program at the Gilbreath-Reed Career and Technical Center.
Throughout the day, Mavs staff, ManiAACs, D-Town Crew and Mascot Champ accompanied students in the program to prepare them for a future as an adult.
The students participated in hands-on activities in a simulated community and used critical thinking skills to build a foundation in business, economics, and free enterprise.
Nicole Scott is an instructor at JA Biztown and she said the mini town opened in 2017; it’s one of two locations in Texas. Monday’s participating schools included Solar Preparatory School for Boys and St. Philip’s School.
“Today, we’re fortunate to have the Dallas Mavericks here,” Scott said. “It’s teaching the kids that we give back when we make it in life. Volunteer work is very important. Sometimes we can’t do that financially, but we can with time. So, we’re thankful to have the Mavs here, and the kids were excited to see Champ and the ManiAACs, and we’re just thankful to the Mavericks.”
Students that participated in the event Monday developed a strong understanding of the relationship between what they learn in school and their successful participation in the local economy.
To make the field trip possible, TaxAct teamed up with the Mavs to fund the special day. The two companies have also partnered with Dallas Mavs Jr. NBA clinics and other events in the past.
“TaxAct places a really high emphasis on financial literacy because they’re a tax preparation software company,” said Lindsey Jenkins, Dallas Mavs Corporate Sponsorship Activation Manager. “I attended BizTown when I was in fifth grade, and it really impacted me, and I remember it being such a great experience. So, we reached out to TaxAct about hosting a similar day for local students, and they really loved the idea, so together, we are sponsoring today.”
Jenkins said it is a full circle moment for her to volunteer with the students and give back to the future generation.
She worked in the BizTown bank and helped students learn banking concepts. Each student had their own checks, and they could withdraw money or make deposits. Others worked behind the desk as bank tellers.
“BizTown is fun and interactive,” Jenkins said, “and there are many jobs here and opportunities. I enjoyed helping the students learn about all the possibilities available to follow their dreams someday.”
April is Financial Literacy Month, a time when financial well-being for consumers of all ages is in the spotlight. Whether you’re just starting out or have been earning your way for quite some time, it’s never too late to learn about saving and improving your financial outlook.
Financial literacy is important to the Dallas Mavs, and the organization has participated and hosted a variety of events in recent years to to promote the importance of understanding your personal financial situation.
The organization also hosts career readiness programs and projects.
In fact, some students at Monday’s event got to record an actual radio spot that will play on the airwaves. Others had the chance to do video intros for Dallas Mavs digital media content.
Gen Z is the first generation born with a smartphone in their hands, and the digital age changes everything.
In the past, children and teens learned to save by utilizing piggy banks, and they walked through the doors of brick-and-mortar banks to cash their allowances and hard-earned checks. Those same values and lessons are being taught in the modern digital age.
What makes BizTown great is that each ‘mini store’ is also decked out with computers and tablets so that students can do the lesson by hand and then electronically enter their numbers.
For instance, I volunteered at the American Airlines mini store, and each student was assigned a role, from CEO to a flight attendant to a ticket counter agent. They learned how to book their flights and calculated what it would cost to arrive at their destination. There was a mini airplane inside that allowed students to sit down in a seat, and a large television screen played with destinations all over the world.
The world really is at their fingertips.
The entire day was special for both the students and volunteers. The kids laughed and relished in the moment of taking a special field trip, creating memories to last a lifetime. During lunch, they ate in a simulated Chick-fil-A store located in the cafeteria and everyone received a gift card for a sandwich or chicken nuggets.
“The [students] are out here taking on roles in the community and just going through life,” said Emily Honeycutt with the Dallas Mavs corporate social responsibility team. “They are writing checks, cashing them, owning businesses, and we’re really getting these kids set up for success. It’s important for the Mavericks to be involved because we always love working with kids in the community, and financial literacy is something that we love to emphasize. So, this was marrying both things and having TaxAct involved was great.”
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