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A teller helps a Towne citizen with a deposit slip.
Spotlight on: The Bank
“Where are you all going to go first when you go on break?”
“The bank!”
Each student who passes through AmeriTowne is responsible for depositing his or her paycheck at the bank. A portion of their salary goes into their checking accounts and they receive the rest in cash. The students who work as bank employees arguably have Towne’s most crucial positions; without the bank Towne couldn’t run, as each shop receives a bank loan to start the day which they are expected to pay back – plus 10% interest – by the end of the day.
Pick a role
One of the coolest aspects of AmeriTowne is that even though the shop fronts stay the same, the shops themselves are different every day. At their staff meetings prior to Towne all of the stores come up with their own business names. This week alone we’ve had a YAT Bank, the Money Factory and SuperBank. But what really makes every day unique is the new batch of hardworking kids that come through our program. Here’s a rundown of what goes on at the bank:
Bank President
Just like in the real world, in order to receive a bank loan each shop must submit an application. The bank president is in charge of approving the bank loans, calculating the interest owed and finding the total amount owed back.
Vice-President
The bank’s VP acts as the accountant and is in charge of paying all of the banks bills and processing the bank loans as they come in. He or she keeps track of the banks expenses and uses a tablet to keep track of who has already paid the bank and who still owes money.
Bank Tellers
The Bank is always a busy place, as all Towne citizens must deposit their paychecks to begin spending money.
The tellers are the face of the bank. They cash the paychecks and take in all of the deposits, generally with a smile on. During closing ceremonies one shop is always wins a customer service award, and this often goes to the bank, likely due to the teller’s exemplary service.
Computer Operators
The computer operators are responsible for entering every check and deposit slip written in Towne into the computer and filing them away. This job can sometimes get hectic, but it’s amazing to see what elementary school students can achieve in 4 short hours.
So there you have it! The bank is an unquestionably busy yet extremely rewarding place to work in AmeriTowne and without its diligent employees Towne wouldn’t be able to run.
Teacher’s Tip:
We often receive some additional help in Towne by some wonderful and willing parent volunteers. Sometimes our returning teachers choose to include these parents in some of what goes on before coming to see us – whether it’s helping out with the job interviews or including them in the staff meeting. Pre-assigning parent volunteers to their shops is a great idea, because they get acquainted with the students in the shop and what they’ll be doing.
