Super Tuesday

While Romney and Santorum were fighting over votes in Ohio, Massachusetts and Georgia, Big Boy #2 was working to earn votes himself. The kids at school were getting ready for their big field trip to Ameritowne.


It's a place designed to teach children financial literacy and the basics of community life. In preparation for the field trip, the kids had to fill out an application, interview for jobs or run for elected office. BB#2 ran for Mayor of Ameritowne. He prepared a PowerPoint presentation and easily won the primary (his actual class). The next step was to present in front of the whole fifth grade. On Super Tuesday the results came in, and he won Mayor!!!

Yesterday the kids headed to Ameritowne. It's an amazing place, that feels a bit like Main Street in Disneyland. All of the kids had uniforms/costumes that corresponded to their jobs. At the market, they wore aprons, at the hospital, they wore lab coats, etc. The Mayor? He wore this bad boy.


Each student is given a specific job and as the Mayor, BB#2 had to begin the day by taking the oath of office and then giving a speech to the entire group.

As head of the government, he then swore in the Ameritowne police officers.

But if you ask him, probably his very favorite part was ceremoniously cutting the ribbon with these giant scissors.

Each student had work to do, but BB#2 thought that after giving his speech, he would pretty much just be hanging out. He was wrong. There was a lot to keep this young mayor busy.

To start, each business had applied for a business license, and the Mayor had to get those filled out and distributed. Then he worked on their web site, filled in for the judge when she was on break and also selected the winner of the Ameritowne Stamp Design competition. "I have to do a lot of signatures today!"

As part of learning about personal finance, each worker received a paycheck, which they deposited at the 'bank'. They were encouraged to save some of their money as well as invest in high, medium, or low risk stocks. They each had a debit card and checkbook. With the left over money the kids shopped at each other's stores - for real things, like snacks or small toys.

At the end of the day, he was a part of the closing ceremonies, distributing certificates to all the business leaders of the community.

As a social studies teacher, I was beyond impressed with what those students learned at Ameritowne: supply and demand, interview skills, investment risk, money management, the basics of running a business, advertising, etc. And they had a fabulous time while doing it.

BB#2 was on cloud nine the entire time. He loved that his peers were calling him "Mayor" all day long, he loved the free stuff he received from the townspeople, (Whaaa? Corruption already???) and he loved his picture and interview on the cover of the Ameritowne newpaper. Overall, a GREAT experience!