Before he was a wide receiver for the Baltimore Ravens, Devontez Walker was an electrical assistant.
That was his "job" when he went to a Junior Achievement BizTown in Charlotte, N.C. for a fourth-grade field trip, and he still remembers it to this day.
"It was a good experience for me," Walker said. "I got to see how it is to be out working, how it feels, how it feels to earn money."
On Tuesday, Walker was on hand as the Ravens launched their storefront in the Junior Achievement of Central Maryland BizTown, located in Baltimore. BizTown combines classroom curriculum with an interactive day for fifth graders in a simulated economy.
Inside the Ravens' storefront, students will hold front-office roles including CEO, CFO, Ticketing Manager, Flock Shop Manager and Broadcast Specialist. They'll be tasked with managing budgets, pitching sponsorships, operating point-of-sale systems, designing jerseys and even calling plays from the broadcast booth.
"Many kids want to work for the Ravens when they grow up, but often times they think of the player side," said Paul Kappel, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Maryland.
"This way, they see that just like a lot of other organizations in the community, at the end of the day, the Ravens are a business and they need skilled employees in areas that students probably didn't realize. We know from our work, in order to be it, you've got to see it."
The Ravens storefront was made possible through funding provided by the Ravens Foundation, Inc., the organization's charitable arm. Executive Director Heather Darney said helping to fund education is one of the pillars of the foundation and partnering with Junior Achievement of Central Maryland has been on their radar for a couple years.
"We're really excited to be in this space. We've brought some really cool Ravens elements into this BizTown. We're literally the newest spot in town," Darney said.
"It's fun to have our jobs posted, an opportunity to learn what we do, and allow the kids to see a little bit behind the scenes other than gamedays and on the field."
Walker was joined by Ravens linebacker Teddye Buchanan at the ribbon cutting ceremony, along with Poe and Ravens Cheerleaders. Ravens employees will continue to come to Junior Achievement of Central Maryland to volunteer and help the children learn.
At BizTown, students step into a fully interactive town where they take on jobs, operate businesses, earn paychecks, manage money, and make decisions that impact their community. They build confidence and develop workplace and financial skills that help open doors to future opportunities.
There are many partners around the Baltimore community who have come together at BizTown to show kids what kinds of jobs are out there. With a visually engaging storefront, the Ravens bring a unique presence.
"When you're a fifth-grader, there's something about that purple and black that says, 'Hey, maybe I can do this, too,'" Kappel said.
"All of those journeys start with being engaged in school and figuring out why it's important to me to continue my education. The Baltimore Ravens help us get there."
Walker ended up beating the odds to become a professional wide receiver. Now students around Maryland can dream not just about what it would be like to play for the Ravens, but also to work for their favorite team – just in case they don't have Walker's blazing speed.
"You can be that CEO, you can be that CFO. You can be running all these incredible places," Darney told the kids at the ribbon cutting. "We can't wait to see all that's going to come for you someday."
