Case Study

JA BizTown

Junior Achievement of Western Pennsylvania created a fully immersive, 10,000 sq. ft. simulated town where students don’t just learn about careers and finances—they live them.

JA BizTown

Goals

The vision was to design a realistic, life-sized town that mirrored the look and feel of local communities while preparing 4th–6th grade students for real-world careers, financial literacy, and decision-making. Each space needed to reflect actual storefronts, support sponsor branding, and reinforce the values of the regional economy.

JA BizTown

Audience

JA BizTown serves elementary students across the region. Local businesses, educators, and economic leaders all played key roles in shaping the experience, with sponsors seeking a branded, engaging space that aligned with their industry and future workforce development goals.

JA BizTown

Solutions

A life-like main street concept was brought to life through custom-fabricated storefronts, city hall structures, and realistic finishes:

  • Architectural Detail: Storefronts were designed using faux wood and brick textures, dimensional awnings, window displays, and laminated graphics to mirror real-life businesses.
  • Sponsor Integration: Each space was tailored to reflect the branding of local companies, ensuring visibility while offering students a wide range of career touchpoints—from healthcare and logistics to finance, STEM, and the trades.
  • Flexible Floor Plans: A mix of modular design elements allowed for consistent theming while giving each storefront a distinct identity.
  • Collaborative Build Process: Close coordination between project leaders, architects, and corporate sponsors ensured the space felt cohesive while meeting educational goals.
JA BizTown
JA BizTown

Results

JA BizTown delivered a high-impact learning environment that gave students hands-on experience in budgeting, banking, career decision-making, and civic responsibility. The community response has been overwhelmingly positive, with sponsors praising the realistic build and schools seeing strong engagement from participating students.

JA BizTown

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