Day in Towne

Before You Arrive

Teachers - you and your students will complete most of the curriculum lessons and activities, including:

• An election for Mayor and Judge.
• A vote on laws to govern your day in Towne.
• Interviews for positions to work in each Young AmeriTowne business.

The Day of Towne

You and your students will come to Young Americans Center to 'run' Young AmeriTowne. As your students step inside the 5,000 square foot mini-town, they will transform into Young AmeriTowne citizens and will assume positions as Mayor, Accountant, Service Technician, Policeperson, Newspaper Editor and more.

Towne Officially Opens

A ribbon-cutting ceremony and swearing-in of elected government leaders will mark the official Towne opening. Your students-turned-citizens will rush off to work in the positions they were 'hired' for, working together with their co-workers to successfully run their business:

• Accountants will carefully manage finances, applying for bank loans to pay expenses and salaries and tracking revenues and expenses throughout the day.
• Managers will calculate inventory levels, place supply orders, and coordinate staff schedules.
• Salespeople will strategically set prices and market their products and services to compete for consumers' dollars.

• During their breaks from work, employees will spend their hard-earned salaries, tracking their expenditures in their personal checking accounts.

A Powerful Learning Experience

Lessons in free enterprise and economics truly come to life in Young AmeriTowne as your students see the direct impact their actions and decisions have on themselves, their businesses, and the overall community. They see first-hand what happens to supply and demand as they change prices. They see the power of marketing as they lure customers away from their competitors. They grasp the meaning of opportunity costs as they evaluate how to spend their salaries. They begin to recognize their skills and interests from a career perspective. The list goes on.

Learn About the 17 Young AmeriTowne Businesses:

Bank

All citizens and businesses depend on the bank for personal and business checking accounts. The bank records all transactions and delivers a final statement to each citizen and business at the end of the day. Citizens and businesses then balance to the bank statement. The bank also processes loans for each of the Young AmeriTowne businesses.
Positions: President, Vice President, Tellers, Computer Operators/File Clerks

College

Offers on-line courses for citizens to explore a variety of career options. The College also provides student ID cards to those who complete coursework and offers keepsake yearbook photos.
Positions: President, Accountant, Career Counselors, Photographer

Container Shop

Assembles, decorates and sells handy corrugated briefcases and custom wooden gifts.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Assemblers/Finishers

Investment Company

Advises citizens on investing strategies and sells an assortment of mutual funds, tracking investor data on the computer. Investors whose mutual funds increase in value are rewarded with prizes.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Investment Advisors

Market

Citizens know they can count on the market to stock its shelves with popular packaged food and snack items such as chips, candy and flavored milk. Market employees scan and bag items, and provided valuable guest services to shoppers.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Cashiers

Medical Center

Provides preventative medical advice and diagnoses medical problems. The Medical Center randomly selects Towne employees throughout the day to 'fall ill' or 'become injured' to simulate real-world absence situations for the Young AmeriTowne businesses.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Doctors, Health Technicians/Insurance Coordinators

Newspaper

The newspaper reports on cutting edge Young AmeriTowne news and offers advertising opportunities to the businesses. Employees produce the newspaper on computers, then reproduce, assemble and sell copies throughout Towne.
Positions: Editor/Manager, Accountant, Reporters, Typists/Ad Agents

Parcel Service

Young AmeriTowne businesses and citizens depend on the Parcel Service for mail delivery of important documents such as expense checks and contest postcards. Parcel also sells stamps and pre-stamped postcards to mail within Towne limits.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Parcel Carriers/Salespeople

Parts and Service Shop

Every Young AmeriTowne business is required to pay for 'fleet maintenance' as a business expense. During their fleet maintenance check-up, a 'fate' card is drawn to simulate real-life maintenance issues.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Service Technicians

Radio Station

Young AmeriTowne citizens are entertained throughout the day as the radio station plays their song requests. The station also competes for advertising dollars by offering radio spots to businesses.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Disc Jockeys/Ad Agents

Sign and Print Shop

Designs and produces custom signs for each of the Young AmeriTowne businesses using graphic design software on the computer.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Graphic Artists, Designers/Salespeople

Snack Shop

Students, teachers, and volunteers all depend on the Snack Shop for snack items such as frozen treats, drinks and cookies.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Salespeople

Utility Company

Oversees heating, air conditioning and refrigeration services for all of Young AmeriTowne. Using 'fate cards,' random businesses fall victim to various HVAC issues and must pay for technical service repairs if they haven't purchased a preventative maintenance agreement.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Service Technicians

Television Station

Keeps Young AmeriTowne citizens abreast of the latest news with a daily newscast. The station also produces short commercials for each business, which are then eagerly viewed by all citizens during lunch break.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Photojournalists, Reporters/Ad Agents

Towne Hall

The center of Young AmeriTowne government. Once citizens vote on and enact laws for their Day in Towne, Towne Hall is responsible for upholding them, issuing citations, collecting fines, and reviewing cases of dispute in court. Towne Hall also issues licenses for each business and coordinates community philanthropic activities.
Positions: Mayor, Judge, Accountant, Police Officers, Community Relations Director

Travel Company

Offers the opportunity to learn first-hand what flying an airplane is like. Citizens can purchase 'travel tickets' for a cool flight simulation.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Ticket Agents/Flight Attendants

Warehouse

Each of the Young AmeriTowne businesses depends on the Warehouse to stock and deliver necessary materials and supplies.
Positions: Manager, Accountant, Stock/Delivery People