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With a belief that education is critical for healthy, vibrant communities and that all youth deserve an education that will help them reach their greatest potential, State Farm’s support of hands-on learning at Young American Center couldn’t be more relevant and instrumental. State Farm supports programs that provide today’s youth with the tools and resources which help them achieve life skills and an education, equipping them for future opportunities and helping them realize their dreams.
State Farm’s direct support of the Send-a-School scholarship program is crucial for so many program participants. So far in 2020, nearly one out of every five students participated in the Young AmeriTowne or International Towne program on scholarship. Send-a-School scholarships provide all materials, teacher training and the culminating event: a day at Young AmeriTowne facilities (two brick and mortar locations in Denver and Lakewood as well as the portable On the Road versions) where students put classroom lessons to the test in a real world simulation.
– 5th grade teacher Kora Flaming
That means, 2,951 deserving students from 32 low-income schools (70% free/reduced lunch) were able to participate in life-changing financial education programs in 2020 so far. Teachers like Kora Flaming, a fifth-grade teacher from a low-income school where 84% of students are living in poverty, sees these results first-hand. “There’s a job here in Young AmeriTowne for everybody. Even students who struggle and have few opportunities for success can do their Young AmeriTowne job. Afterward, my students see themselves as future workers. They really believe ‘I can be a manager. I can be an accountant.’ Thank you for this scholarship.”
State Farm Agent Lawrence Neal spent a day mentoring student business teams in Young AmeriTowne On the Road.
State Farm Agents are leaders for students – they represent some of the best examples of participatory community engagement around. When schools are not able to provide the recommended number of parent volunteers to assist for the culminating experience, State Farm agents answer the call for support. State Farm volunteers contribute to student success by spending a day mentoring student business teams in AmeriTowne and provide hands-on “business consultant” services. They help AmeriTowne businesses navigate logistical dilemmas, make recommendations for inventory and price point adjustments, and even advise managers with leadership support as they guide their business teams. They invest in students by providing the tools while letting them chart their own paths.
Strong, resilient communities are only a reflection of the relationships that are maintained among citizen participants. Thanks to State Farm, students gain the invaluable experience of cultivating meaningful interactions and connections as acting citizens in their very own lifelike community for a day in Young AmeriTowne and International Towne. State Farm invests in the youth who will help shape our tomorrow. They help demystify adulthood and get kids excited for the future. A fourth-grade teacher at New Vision Charter school in Greeley notes her students, “Feel like they are adults, because that is how we are treating them. Throughout this whole process, there is a change that happens within your students. You almost get to watch them slowly grow up before your eyes.”
State Farm is committed to maintaining the vibrancy of our communities. Thanks to State Farm’s exemplary passion for community investment, students recognize the interdependence of citizens and businesses in building a prosperous society. During the challenging times our nation faces today, it is imperative that kids have strong examples to follow. At AmeriTowne, kids truly embrace the notion that supporting each other brings us closer together. Thank you State Farm for ensuring AmeriTowne is full of “good neighbors.”
