Vienna

Photos by Abigail Constantino/The Connection
News
Alexandra Lujan’s second grade class at Westbriar Elementary School in
Vienna learn about the businesses in the community during Junior
Achievement of Greater Washington’s “JA in a Day” program. From left,
Ariana, Sophia, Abdullah and Jay create a new doughnut flavor to attract
customers to their shop.
By Abigail Constantino
The Connection
Students in Future Business Leaders
of America spent the day teaching
Westbriar Elementary School students
in Vienna about financial literacy
during “JA in a Day.” Junior Achievement
of Greater Washington partnered with
FBLA in Marshall High School in Falls
Church to bring the program to the elementary
school children. Both groups of students
were encouraged to dress up in the
professions they want to pursue.
While the younger children donned lab
coats, soccer kits and stethoscopes, the high
school students wore name tags with labels
such as pediatrician, financial planner, and
Ambassador to Russia.
Junior Anya Karaman said that the program
inspires younger students by modeling
behavior. “They get a semblance of an
idea of what they want to be when they
grow up,” she said.
“Elementary school kids can see themselves
in the high school students,” said
Caitlin Hennessy, education manager at
Junior Achievement of Greater Washington.
In Michael Hunt’s fourth grade class, senior
Twinkle Gera taught about characteristics
and traits of entrepreneurs and inventors.
She and other FBLA members trained
for weeks on how to teach the grade-specific
content, manage the classroom and
engage the students using materials in kits
provided by Junior Achievement.
The course is tailored for each grade—
from a storybook lesson for kindergartners
to the global marketplace for sixth graders.
In Alexandra Lujan’s second grade class,
Marshall High School students Sean
Hoffmann and Mpesa Kapinka focused on
the community and its businesses and workers.
The second graders were given professions
in the community and were also
tasked with working at the local doughnut
shop. Working in groups, they learn about
cooperation and production.
Later on in the activity, the class will learn
how much it takes for individuals and busi-
Westbriar Elementary School second grader Jay listens to Abdullah’s
heartbeat using his grandfather’s stethoscope. Jay, who wants to be a
doctor when he grows up, and Abdullah, who wants to be a soccer
player, participate in “JA in a Day” on Friday, March 27 in Vienna.
Vienna Children Learn about Micro and Macro Economies
Westbriar Elementary School children
learn about financial literacy.
Westbriar Elementary second
grader Sophia creates a new
doughnut flavor to attract customers
played by her toy Slick, as
classmate Ariana looks on. Both
girls want to be veterinarians
when they grow up.
nesses to maintain a community. “None of
the professions handed out include government
jobs. When the doughnut shop catches
Marshall High School students
Jishnu Purihella, Alek Langford
and Patrick McCabe wear name
tags identifying the profession
they want to pursue—an approach
to model behavior and inspire the
students at Westbriar Elementary
School in Vienna.
on fire, they will learn about taxes,” said
Hennessy. “It’s really hard to get them to
pay taxes.”
Second grader Annika invents a birthday cake, ice cream-filled doughnut
during “JA in a Day,” where second graders learn how local businesses
operate in the community.
George Marshall High School students Sean Hoffmann and Mpesa
Kapinka teach Alexandra Lujan’s second grade class at Westbriar Elementary
School in Vienna about the community during Junior Achievement
of Greater Washington’s “JA in a Day” on Friday, March 27.
16 ❖ Vienna/Oakton Connection ❖ April 1-7, 2015 www.ConnectionNewspapers.com