Bank Camp

Madeline attended Bank Camp this past week, so if anyone out there is in need of her to help them with their finances, she's available! This camp is very interesting. The first 4 days are learning about such things as balancing a checkbook, investing money, budgeting money, understanding deposit/withdrawal slips, marketing products, advertising, interviewing skills, getting a tour of the bank, understanding what interest is, learning about different countries and their form of money, etc etc. On Friday, the final day, is the big running of the "town." Parents are invited to come and watch the kids run their town. The camp has an indoor "mini town" in which the children all take part in one aspect of the town. There is a bank, multiple stores, a hospital, a DJ/radio, snack bar, mayor's office, auto repair shop, newspaper, channel 4 news, travel agency, etc...On Thursday, each child has a "real" interview in which they must try and get the "job" they want. Madeline said her interview went well, and she ended up getting the job she wanted, which was snack shop manager. She said that when she was asked what prior experience she had with snack bars, she said she had run *many* a Lemonade Stand! (I'm sure that clinched it) When the kids run the town, they must work at their job, and on their breaks, they can spend the money they earned from their job (they go to the bank and cash their check) and then they use that money to buy things in the "town". This year, because Madeline is going in to 5th grade, she got to write "checks" for the things she wanted. And, being the manager (and not just a worker bee) she had to make sure her employees were getting their breaks, etc. So she was a *very* busy girl!
Here are some pictures of the "town". It was a great day.

The "Town"

Madeline works the snackbar...they sold soda, icecream, and chips. There's Maya sipping a coke!

The Hospital...check-ups cost $2.00. Or you could buy a sticky eyeball for $1. Madeline bought a sticky eyeball.

The UPS guy...delivering mail to all the shops.

Here the kids cash their checks on their breaks from working...

Cute signs...

Auto repair shop...Madeline bought Quinn some toy cars from this shop!

The market...Madeline shops while on her break.

Madeline outside the snack shop...Time to get back to work! She earned $30 as a manager, and her employees earned $25. (money to spend at the other shops)

And one of her favorite parts...writing checks!