SALISBURY, Md.- The Perdue Henson Junior Achievement Center is now open in Salisbury. President and CEO of Junior Achievement Eastern Shore Jayme Hayes says the turn out for the ribbon cutting ceremony went beyond expectations.
"I am overwhelmed by the amount of support today. We expected about 250 and we almost double that so that was very exciting," said Hayes.
Every school district on the eastern shore is contracted with Junior Achievement to bring their 6th and 7th graders in once a year. There is also a high school component as well. Students will learn how to write a check, get a loan or buy a car. Hayes says this type of education is crucial.
"Financial literacy is a super popular word and obviously extremely important but I feel like that word is so overused. To me, we're teaching kids' and helping them learn and understand to own your own economic future, to be able to control the narrative and not fall into the vicious cycle of poverty," said Hayes.
The Maryland comptroller Brooke Lierman says this is a unique facility for the eastern shore.
"There is nothing like this here on the eastern shore and we want to make sure that kids in every corner in the state of Maryland have access to first class educational opportunities," said Lierman. "It's a really exciting day for the entire Eastern Shore and also for the people of Maryland this is an incredible center that will serve 10 thousand students every year and we know financial education is key to long term success."
Mike Dunn with the Greater Salisbury Committee says the business community will benefit too.
"If 10 thousands kids a year come through here and they even get a little more financially literate, the community benefits by having students that know about money, job opportunities and workforce development," said Dunn.
The first group of students will enter the facility on November 7th. Junior Achievement needs volunteers to facilitate the event. Information on how to volunteer can be found here.
