The entrance to the Junior Achievement World Center.
Junior Achievement at North Campus held a pre-opening, thank-you event for members of the Broward College community last week. The 59,000 square-foot, $11 million facility is the largest JA facility in the world, and opened officially on Monday, September 21st. In partnership with the Broward County Public Schools and several private schools, 45,000 to 50,000 elementary and middle school students will take part annually in the Finance Park and Biz Town programs on our campus.
In preparation for the opening, 1,000 teachers have been trained, and 110 elementary and middle school principals have met at the facility to become familiar with the curriculum and the physical layout.
North Campus Provost Dr. Barbara Bryan and Todd
Alexander from IT at the entry to JA World. Todd did
most of the creative programming for the Broward
College storefront in Finance Park, and Dr. Bryan
acknowledged his contribution from the podium. | 
The interior of the Broward College storefront.
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The center is divided into two separate areas, one for the Biz Town program which replicates a model city with the Broward College City Hall as the center of activity. There, 120 fifth-grade students daily will learn about local governance, the free-enterprise system, and experience “working” in various occupations at Biz Town.
The BankAtlantic, Publix and Dolphins storefronts.
The second section is Finance Park, where 175 eighth-grade students daily will get practical experience in economic management and the principles of budgeting. Finance Park and Biz Town are experiential learning programs where students have the opportunity to explore career options at various “storefronts” in the facility. One of those storefronts is Broward College’s.
Listening to the program in Finance Center are staff
members of Broward College. The center is shaped
like a rotunda, and here you can see the entries to
the AutoNation, Broward Health and Broward College
storefronts. | 
President Armstrong showing a memento of the
occasion while at the podium.
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Each day, the center will need 60 trained volunteers to assist with the two programs. It is a perfect opportunity for our students as well as interested staff members to participate in community service. President Armstrong already is working with JA to create volunteer opportunities for our students.
The tour group walking through the Biz Town
storefronts.
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The BankAtlantic banking center in Biz Town where
the teller counter was scaled for the 5th graders
who will use it in the experiential program. |
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The VIP reception area was designed by local
interior designer Stephen G, who also donated
all of the furniture in the room, and the
artwork on the walls.
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