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Bank employees visit school
By Denise Dick
Youngstown
Williamson Elementary students Markiea Jones, Damion Lake, Terrance Simms and Christopher Fitzgerald created and designed a product and established its marketing campaign.
The work was part of JA in a Day, and 33 Huntington Bank employees presented the Junior Achievement curriculum to the school’s 350 students.
Students learned about financial literacy, entrepreneurship and work-force readiness, said Michele Merkel, Junior Achievement president.
Sandy Lisko, assistant vice president for regional marketing at Huntington, worked with the fifth- graders in Julie Clark’s class.
“We gave them a product, and they had to name the product, name the business and identify the consumers who would buy it,” Lisko said.
Markiea, Damion and Terrance, all 10, and Christopher, 11, developed a bacon-scented, squeaky, glow-in-the-dark, bone-shaped dog toy, retail price: $9.99.
“It’s called Super Dog Bone,” Markiea said.
Christopher said targeted consumers are people with dogs.
Though Damion doesn’t have a dog, his cousin does, and he thought of how his cousin interacts with his dog.
The creation was a group effort among the four students.
Christopher suggested the toy smell like gravy and bacon. Markiea proposed they limit it to just bacon.
Terrance came up with the idea for it to glow in the dark.
“That’s so owners can play with the dog at night, and the dog can fetch,” Terrance said.
Huntington adopted Williamson this year for the JA program.
Principal Wanda Clark requested JA programs last year but then learned about the steps involved in securing a sponsor and volunteers.
“We are very grateful to have Huntington adopt our school,” Clark said.
The JA in a Day targets lessons to various grade levels. Kindergartners, for example, perform hands-on activities that demonstrate working, earning and saving. Fifth-graders focus on free enterprise, business resources and skills needed in the workplace.