Junior Achievement of Greater OKC expands

Journal Record, The (Oklahoma City), Feb 15, 2005 by Journal Record Staff

Junior Achievement of Greater Oklahoma City has started construction on a 10,000-square-foot economic education center, Exchange City, in Omniplex.

Exchange City will offer an experiential learning program. The eight-week, in-school curriculum will focus on money management, work force readiness, career exploration, civic participation, problem solving and teamwork and culminate with a daylong visit to Exchange City.

During their day at Exchange City, students will work in a wide array of professional environments, including a city hall, bank, newspaper, technology center, post office and retail shops.

Through hands-on, innovative activities, Exchange City will enable students to recognize the relationship between what they learn in school and their future success in life, said Mary Huddleston, president, Junior Achievement of Greater Oklahoma City. This approach helps students value academic learning, teaches them how they can impact the world around them as individuals, workers and consumers, and prepares them for future economic and work force issues that they will face in the real world.

The construction of Exchange City and implementation of the program will be funded through corporate, foundation and individual support.

The IBC Bank-Junior Achievement collaboration on Exchange City exemplifies the importance of public-private partnerships - the business community, nonprofits and educators working together to improve the lives of Oklahoma's youth, said Randy Roper, president, IBC Bank, Oklahoma City.

In addition to IBC Bank, corporate sponsors include Sonic, The Oklahoman, Devon Energy, Chickasaw Nation, Mathis Brothers Furniture, OG&E, Oklahoma Natural Gas and Tinker Federal Credit Union. Exchange City has also received support from the Meinders Foundation, Kirkpatrick Family Fund, Oklahoma City Community Foundation and Robert Glenn Rapp Foundation.

Exchange City will open to students in May. Currently, there are 21 Exchange Cities throughout the United States, including one in Tulsa.