Students in grades 3-5 at Brooklyn School had the exciting opportunity to learn valuable financial and entrepreneurial skills through engaging activities facilitated by eighteen volunteers from Huntington Bank on Tuesday, May 14, 2025. The activities were created by Junior Achievement USA, a national organization which provides lessons in financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship that are taught by educational partners and local community volunteers. Each lesson aligns with national and state educational standards and utilizes real world examples and hands-on learning to help students develop a strong foundation for successful futures.

Third grade classrooms discussed the topic of financial literacy which included key concepts such as earn, save, buy, and give. Huntington Bank volunteers used interactive discussion and an activity which helped students apply their math skills to explore how the key concepts are used in everyday decisions related to money.

Fourth grade students focused on the topic of entrepreneurship and began the activity by talking about famous entrepreneurs such as Walt Disney, Lebron James, Rachael Ray, and Tony Hawk, and the specific traits that entrepreneurs possess which contribute to their success. Students then completed a self-assessment activity during which they circled entrepreneurial traits they possess and would like to work on. Huntington Bank volunteers then asked students to collaborate in groups to brainstorm and then discuss an invention which could be used in homes that would save individuals both time and money.

At the fifth-grade level, students focused on the theme of career and work readiness, which included learning about the three different resources used by entrepreneurs, including natural, capital, and human resources. Students also discussed how certain everyday products are made using each type of resource.

Across each participating grade level, students were engaged and actively participated in the discussions. Brooklyn City Schools thanks Huntington Bank and Junior Achievement for providing an impactful and relevant learning experience for our students.