The fourth-grade class at Most Blessed Sacrament School in Baton Rouge learned about work readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship by opening their own restaurant through the Junior Achievement program.
Volunteers taught the students of Michelle Cox and Susannah Jaques the JA curriculum. The teachers took it a step further and had the students apply the concepts and develop a resume with references, apply for jobs and open a business.
On March 18-19 the students opened a restaurant in their class. Each classmate had a job in the restaurant and parents purchased a meal at either La Italia Restaurant and at Breakfast & Blues Restaurant.
“The fourth-grade class at MBS was very excited to be opening our restaurants this year,” said Cox. “A former 4th-grade teacher at Most Blessed Sacrament implemented the Junior Achievement program and the restaurant project with the students a few years ago. It was such an awesome success that we have decided to continue the project and participation in Junior Achievement as part of our fourth-grade social studies curriculum.
“The students have learned so much from participating in Junior Achievement, including what it means to be an entrepreneur and terms like profit, loss, revenue and distribution. The students have always been completely engaged and excited about what they have been learning in JA.”
Paula Dawson, president of Junior Achievement Greater Baton Rouge and Acadiana noted many skills are taught through the JA curriculum.
“These skills will be used for a lifetime,” said Dawson. “Junior Achievement has been serving students for 100 years. We are thrilled to see teachers taking our programs to the next level and truly inspiring and preparing our next generation of leaders.”
JA reaches approximately four million students in the United States and more than three million worldwide. The program looks for opportunities to serve schools in the Greater Baton Rouge area. If you would like to learn more about JA programs or volunteer, visit the website at jabatonrouge.com or call 225-928-7008.