Where will the JA Experiential Learning Center be located? What about your office?

Our new location for both the ELC and our office will be at 619 Prospect Ave E., Cleveland, Ohio 44115 -- the Six Six Eight building. For those familiar with the area, it's the old FITWORKS location right next to Geraci's Pizza.

What's the age range of students who will participate in the JA Experiential Learning Center?

While our traditional programming has focused on school-aged children between K-12th grade, the JA Experiential Learning Center will host students from 3rd-12th grade. Finance Park's program will welcome 7th-12th-grade students, while the BizTown (anticipated 2028 launch) will welcome 3rd-6th-grade students.

Which schools will be able to participate in ELC programming?

All schools are welcome! Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland's footprint traditionally covers Lorain, Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga Counties. However, the JA Experiential Learning Center's unique programming will welcome students from any area of Ohio and beyond who can make the trip! If your school is outside of our four-county footprint, we will work directly with your local Junior Achievement office to help make your trip possible. 

How long are students on site? What's the time commitment? 

The full program and simulation generally takes about 4-5 hours, but we encourage you to also factor in travel and bussing. All told, you can expect to commit at least 5-6 hours of your day to travel and participation. 

When will you begin taking reservations for students and schools to participate?

The JA Experiential Learning Center will officially welcome its first students with the launch of Finance Park in the fall of 2026, but it's never too early to begin talking to us and making plans! Reach out to us as soon as possible to start the conversation and begin planning. 

Is there a requirement for schools to participate? What can students and teachers expect?

At the culmination of this teacher-led program, students visit JA Finance Park, a realistic on-site or virtual community, to put into practice what they've learned by developing and committing to a personal budget. 

JA Finance Park features an Entry Level (grades 7-8) and Advanced (grades 9-12).  The JA Finance Park Entry Level learning experience comprises 13 required teacher-taught, in-class lessons. JA Finance Park Advanced requires 7 lessons.  Both culminate in a hands-on budgeting simulation that is implemented either at a JA Finance Park facility  

A virtual simulation option is available for schools that cannot travel for in-person simulation.  Delivery and simulation option will be discussed with JA staff. 

For more information and to see more details, reach out to us here: info@jacleveland.org

What days of the week will programming occur?

Whatever works best for our teachers and students! However, we anticipate Thursdays and Fridays to fill up quickly. If your school is interested in participating, please reach us as soon as possible so we can begin coordinating your visit. 

What's the difference between Finance Park and BizTown?

While both Finance Park and BizTown utilize the same learning space, real-world simulation program delivery, and storefront-style formats, the core purpose of each varies. 

Put simply: Finance Park is all about understanding the difference between needs and wants. It helps students build a foundation on which they can make intelligent financial decisions that last a lifetime, including decisions related to income, expenses, savings, and credit. 

BizTown (anticipated 2028 launch) uniquely makes students the leaders -- the ones running businesses and the "BizTown." It allows students to connect the dots between what they learn in school and the real world with tasks such as operating banks, managing restaurants, writing checks, and even voting for mayor.

Finance Park's program will welcome 7th-12th-grade students, while the BizTown will welcome 3rd-6th-grade students.

What kind of businesses have storefronts within the ELC?

We proudly work with local businesses and leading industry partners to bring students the most impactful, real-world simulation. Students can expect to interact with and learn from a wide range of industries, such as finance and banking, healthcare, food and hospitality, insurance, STEM, manufacturing, and more. 

Am I able to make a donation?

Sure can! With the generous support from our early donors and industry partners, we have made a lot of great progress toward our goal of $3 million. But we need just a bit more to make the vision become a reality. If you're interested in donating to help us close the gap, follow this link: secure.qgiv.com/for/2025elcpublicgivingform/