The new Perdue Henson Junior Achievement Center is only days away from welcoming students to the state-of-the-art facility that will provide life lessons in budgeting, business and careers. The official ribbon cutting is this Thursday, but students will begin arriving Nov. 7 for the first day of simulation, said Jenna Bowne, the center’s advancement coordinator.

The “wow factor” for the complex isn’t only for the students who will use it; it’s for everyone who walks through the doors. The center, at Oak Ridge Commons in Salisbury, took over the K-Mart space in the plaza. It’s unlike anything in the area and will teach students valuable life skills as well as showcase careers in a wide variety of fields. The center, unusual for a smaller area like the Eastern Shore, is the 60^th JA facility across the United States. 

Once it’s officially open, 10,000 students across the region will learn how an economy runs in this new mini-city. The Perdue Henson Center features 18 stores and businesses where students will learn both from a consumer standpoint and a career standpoint. Students will arrive at the center during a school trip and be directed to an auditorium with bleacher seating and massive doors hiding the town, explained Bowne. After an introductory video, the doors will open for “the big reveal,” she said, showcasing the mini-town.

Students will then see those 18 storefronts laid out in front of them and be transported to a town where there is a mini city hall and they even have to elect a mayor. They will learn financial literacy, explore careers and have an understanding of entrepreneurship, but it all comes after classroom lessons that are age appropriate, Bowne continued. “It’s four and a half hour simulations when they come here, but they will receive 13 to 18 lessons” in school first, she said.

Students from seven counties in the region will utilize the site, according to Ricky Pollitt, development coordinator for JA Eastern Shore. Those counties are Wicomico, Worcester, Dorchester, Caroline, Talbot, Somerset and Accomack, with hopes of expanding to more counties. The location is prime, he said, centrally located and right off Route 50. Also, he said, reworking existing space is a big plus, instead of starting the project from scratch. 

Aside from teaching careers and life skills, another primary goal of the center is to highlight opportunities here at home, Pollitt said. “We’re literally showcasing the careers here on the Eastern Shore,” he said. “We’re eliminating the misconception that you have to travel to get a job.”

For all three levels of the program – 5th, 7th, and high school – students will become business leaders, consumers and employees for the day. In BizTown, the fifth-grade program, students will be assigned jobs and learn how an economy runs, Bowne explained. They will learn what it takes to run a successful business, manage personal and business finances, and work as a team. Once they get to 7th grade, in Finance Park, students will receive not only a job, but a full life scenario. “The simulation is made to be as realistic as to what one might encounter in real life. Do they have a mortgage or pay rent? Do they have pets? Pay alimony? Have children? The simulation will use a variety of life experiences as a tool to teach financial literacy,” she continued. 

 When they return in high school, Finance Park Advanced will allow students to hone in on their specific interests while creating life situations, rather than being told what to do. They can learn more about regional jobs, apprenticeships and internships, and participate in augmented and virtual reality company tours. “They will be much more prepared for what awaits them outside the classroom,” he said.

When students arrive at the facility, they will be given iPads with 18 “line items” to tackle during the day, Bowne explained. Every storefront will double as a career opportunity, while also being a line item in their budget, so students will have to interact with each storefront. For example, the Chick-fil-A storefront will showcase careers in food service, while also being part of a student’s budget to dine out.

Additional storefronts include banks, a grocery store, TidalHealth, colleges, and the Pohanka Automotive Group. As Bowne walked through the facility, pointing out how the town would be laid out, she noted that even if a student did not plan on college, “everyone needs training to some degree.” Regional university and community colleges are represented in one of the storefronts, and students will be able to have conversations about which pathway best fit their needs.

In the housing storefront, Green Street Housing will highlight the renting vs. home-buying decision, while also showcasing jobs in the industry. Tidal Health will be set up like an emergency room, with a pharmacy window. The Pohanka storefront highlights jobs in the automotive industry, with an emphasis on their new automotive training program.

As students make their way through the town, it will feel like a city street with all aspects contributing to the environment. The existing support beams, deemed too expensive to remove, were turned into sponsor trees with the leaves being made of acoustic tiles to help with sound. The floor is polished concrete finished with speckled green epoxy to simulate grass. Bowne said they visited other JA sites for inspiration as they planned and budgeted the project.

The $7.5 million dollar, 25,000 square foot facility is partially being financed by $1.25 million donations each from the Richard A. Henson Foundation and the Arthur W. Perdue Foundation. Businesses with storefronts each commit $25,000 a year for a minimum of three years. These funds, Bowne said, are going directly into sustaining the building’s operation. 

Besides students, the JA Center is expected to host about 1,000 volunteers yearly. Conference rooms with smart TVs and the latest in technology will be available for the community’s use. The center is truly being designed for and by the community. Individuals from Lower Shore Enterprises will also gain opportunities for integrative work experience by putting together curriculum packages for students, for example.

“My number one thing is that this is a community space,” said Jayme Hayes, president and CEO of JA Eastern Shore. She envisions the center being used not only during school hours, but evenings, summers and weekends. She campaigned for the center to open for 10 years and a feasibility study came back with flying colors.

For a full list of the 18 companies represented in the storefronts, see here. To involve even more companies in the facility, “JA Takeovers” will enable businesses to pay a fee for the day and take over a storefront, using their own signs and branding, to teach students about additional career options. That business owner will then be able to give a presentation to all the students at the end of the day.

The new Perdue Henson Junior Achievement Center will provide the tools for students to be successful, no matter what their chosen career. JA is committed to serving both students and the community. Look for ways you can be involved on their website; they welcome volunteers. 

A variety of industries are represented at the center.