Young Coloradans “Fix” Cars at Schomp Honda’s New Ameritowne Display

At the Young Americans Center for Financial Education, students are offered an incredible opportunity to understand fiscal responsibility by way of hands-on experiences. When Schomp Honda, a supporter of the organization, was asked to build one of their Ameritowne “storefronts,” we couldn’t say no. Read on to catch a glimpse of our new Ameritowne service department, helping to empower and educate our youth throughout the state of Colorado.

Straight on, you’d easily mistake Ameritowne’s Cherry Creek location for a movie set. Built into the upper floor of the Young Americans bank, it’s as real as it gets – a grocery store, shipping center, town hall, doctor’s office, restaurant and more – enveloped in natural light and flanked by real street signs, awnings and storefronts. The idea is to simulate a day in the life of a working adult; children are presented with different needs and scenarios, and use a “debit card” to maintain and track their cash flow as they receive their goods and services.

When their vehicle breaks down, they take it to Schomp’s service center – just like in real life! Upon entering, they’re greeted by the shop’s “manager,” and consult with service advisors. The vehicle has an estimate written, and they must choose which services need to be done, with pertinence to their budget.

At the rear of the shop sits the engine compartment of a late-1990s import vehicle. We’ve bolted in a distributor cap and rotor, air filter and oil filter housings, dipstick, water pump, headlamp, and turn signal. There’s even an engine head from a small-block Chevy – indestructible, and easy to work with. The students perform a variety of tasks from replacing the air and oil filters to checking tire pressure, inspecting valves, replacing bulbs and more. The idea is to instill the value of using quality parts – in this case, Honda – and to see the fruits of their own labor result in a complete, functional vehicle display.

Schomp Honda is proud to support Ameritowne at the Young Americans Center for Financial Education, both with our storefront and financial support. For many of Colorado’s youth to cycle through this amazing program, the costs remain astronomical. The center depends on donations from companies and individuals to continue providing this type of experience for many generations to come. Click here to learn how you can support their efforts. And when your children take part in their programs, ask them what their job was for the day – many of us still remember!

---

Young Americans Center for Financial Education, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, delivers all our programs such as Young AmeriTowne, International Towne, YouthBiz, summer camps, and others. Young Americans Center receives support from corporations, foundations and individuals that strongly identify with our mission. In addition, they collect fees for some of their programs; however, fees cover only a small percentage of their overall programmatic costs. They maintain low fees so students from all socio-economic backgrounds have the opportunity to participate.