Photo courtesy of Brad Newton/Grant Miller Photography.
Junior Achievement of Dallas (JA Dallas) and Richardson Independent School District (RISD) opened the JA Discovery Center at Greenwood Hills Learning Center on Thursday, Aug. 27. On Sept. 16, RISD fifth and seventh graders began participating in the center’s financial literacy programs.
The center is a fully simulated city run by students, featuring familiar Richardson-area landmarks such as Main Street and storefronts sponsored by area businesses including CORE Construction, Credit Union of Texas, FedEx, Glenn Partners, Richardson ISD, State Farm and Toyota.
Photo courtesy of Brad Newton/Grant Miller Photography.
RISD fifth graders will spend weeks in the classroom learning about business and economics before coming to JA BizTown, where they will apply for jobs, run storefronts, open bank accounts, pay taxes, meet payroll and take out and repay business loans.
JA Dallas President and CEO Chris LaTurno shared the importance of the new center in a recent press release.
Photo courtesy of Brad Newton/Grant Miller Photography.
“At the JA Discovery Center, we aim to help young people see themselves and opportunities differently,” he said. “It’s about a fifth grader realizing they could own a business someday, and a seventh grader understanding that the smart financial choices they make today can shape the life they build tomorrow.”
Beginning in spring 2027, seventh graders will participate in JA Finance Park, where they will build a personal budget, evaluate financial choices and manage real-life scenarios tied to income and expenses.
The center also revives a piece of district history. In 1985, RISD operated its own simulated city, Enterprise City, at Canyon Creek Elementary.
