Colorado Public Radio partners with several organizations to support education in our community. One of them is Young Americans Center for Financial Education and its flagship program, Young AmeriTowne.
Each weekday morning, 60 to 120 excited fourth- and fifth-graders crowd into the town square of Young AmeriTowne. The students' eyes scan the store fronts around them, many falling on the bright green and orange walls of the town radio station, sponsored by Colorado Public Radio.
"The CPR radio station is one of the most popular businesses in Young AmeriTowne," says Amanda Krische, vice president of programs for Young Americans Center for Financial Education. "Students love learning how radio is produced and sharing their different interests in music."
The mini educational city has 17 businesses, each with different jobs for students to apply for when they spend a school day at the center. The town's radio station—which CPR has sponsored for four years—is a favorite.
The radio station employs DJs, an accountant and a general manager. CPR donated the radio equipment and the uniforms students use "on the job," as they entertain their fellow citizens with song requests and sell radio advertising spots to other businesses in town.
Recently, CPR gave the space a makeover to make the radio station more engaging for students.
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Through this partnership, CPR helps Colorado students experience the power of radio and gain a life-long appreciation for music, as they learn about business, economics and free enterprise through the center's award-winning curriculum.
