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NILES -- Above the Eastwood Mall's food court and out of sight of most shoppers, a new kind of classroom is taking shape in the form of a miniature town where students can be bank tellers, high schoolers manage payroll and students learn how a paycheck becomes a balanced budget.
The BizTown and Finance Park, opening in the spring, at combines two educational simulations under one roof giving learners from grades 4 through 12 a hands-on introduction to jobs, civic roles and personal finance.
The program is operated by Junior Achievement of Eastern Ohio.
Organizers say the dual facility is the first in Northeast Ohio to house both simulations together and will allow students to interview for positions in their classrooms, run storefront businesses in a simulation space.
"It's about exposing students to the variety of jobs that exist in our community, and giving them hands-on practice with workplace and financial skills," said Allison Huffman, program and special event coordinator.
Organizers expect mock simulations by the end of this year and a full operational rollout by March in time for spring sessions.
The Finance Park component, scheduled to roll out about a year after BizTown operations begin, will add budgeting, credit scores and income-management exercises.
That curriculum will give participating students a virtual income, a credit profile and real decisions to make about saving, spending and long-term financial planning.
A typical simulation day will begin early with volunteers and staff arriving at 7 a.m. to set up costumes and stations; school groups run four- to five-hour simulations depending on travel distance. Hana Hakeem, program and social event coordinator said students are welcomed by a mayor's address, disperse to their assigned businesses, take staggered lunches and reconvene at the end for reflection.
BizTown will use a screening system to check identification for volunteers and visitors before granting access. Separate student restrooms, staggered lunch schedules and locked egress points during simulations are among the measures meant to keep the experience safe and to maintain the feel of a workplace rather than a field trip. "We want the simulation to feel like a workplace, not a field trip," a staff member said.
Youngstown State University (YSU) has emerged as a key partner, contributing interns who will be embedded in on-site recruitment and operations offices.
Hakeem said YSU students will help set up and run simulations that'll give them event management and educational experience while supporting visiting local school groups.
The facility's circular layout sets it apart from many traditional BizTown sites, which often occupy linear corridors.
The round design allows supervisors to view and manage activity from a single vantage point. The property covers roughly 16,000 square feet, staffers said and includes office space, storage and rooms that can be split for different activities.
Sponsorship remains an immediate need.
Project leaders said they are courting partners in healthcare and transportation from hospital systems to car dealerships and trucking firms to staff simulated storefronts and provide students exposure to a broad range of industries. Sponsors can participate through plaques, murals, branded walls or by supporting specific business simulations.
"We don't always create opportunities like this here," Huffman said. "We want students to see the jobs around them and know they belong in those roles."