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Last week, city leaders, business owners and employees helped run a city successfully. Then, they all hopped on the bus, went home to their parents and did their homework.

This was no ordinary group of community members. It was the fifth graders from Lakeside School who took over Exchange City in Maplewood Nov. 21 and 22.

Each year, fifth grade classes at Lakeside spend hours researching and preparing for their journey to the make-believe town of Exchange City.

Here, the students work in real jobs, deal with customers, produce products, collect a paycheck and learn about everyday economics that sometimes challenge adults in their lives.

All eight fifth grade classes participated in the program. Teacher Krista Overgaard was one of the primary organizers for the event and led the business meetings that prepared the students for their experience.

Before they attend their one day at Exchange City, students complete a workbook called, “Exchange City Citizen Handbook.” In it, the students complete assignments that introduce them to economic terms such as supply and demand, selling and buying and producers and consumers.

They also learned about banking. The lesson explained what everything means on checks and deposit slips, how to write a check and deposit slip and most importantly, how to balance a checkbook.

The students learn a little about city government, including the importance of laws. One assignment asks the students to write a law they think will be important to have in Exchange City.

Each student has a job in Exchange City. Before they are assigned a job, they must write a resume and complete an assessment form that helps to match their interests and skills with a particular job. They then interview with their teacher to try and get their ideal job.

The teachers then confer and decide which student would be best suited at which job. The areas where students worked were: city hall, snack shop, sign shop, distribution center, bank, post office, factory, nature shop, international shop, sports shop, multi-service center, newspaper and radio station. Overgaard said in most cases, students were given their first or second career choice.

Once students are placed in a job, they meet with the rest of the employees at that business. The groups were then responsible for coming up with a business name, writing newspaper and radio advertisements and designing shopping bags and a sign for their business.

Overgaard said advertising and sign design were important. “Think about how to get your ideas across,” she said. “How are you going to get them to come in?”

The ultimate goal, she said, is for each business to make enough during the day to pay off its bank loan.

Once at Exchange City, the business day begins. Employees in retail shops actually produce items that can be bought by other classmates with Exchange City money. All the supplies to make the arts and crafts items are available at the city for students to use. They can also take photos with digital cameras provided for their use.

Exchange City is all indoors, but is set up with streets, realistic store fronts and an open town square. The streets are named in recognition of corporate sponsors of the Junior Achievement program – General Mills St., Schilling Way, Graco Ave. and Best Buy Blvd.

Preparing to attend Exchange City takes a tremendous amount of work and planning from teachers and students, but also the 60 parent volunteers who attended with Lakeside students. Chaperones were all required to attend training so they knew what to expect at Exchange City.

Overgaard said the six weeks of preparation help to make it a very valuable learning experience for students.

Fifth graders from Taylors Falls Elementary also attend Exchange City later in the school year.

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