Crestwood Elementary School’s fourth graders marked the end of another school year the right way: with an exhaustive simulation of economic systems and exercise in civic cooperation.

Wait a second: What are 10-year-old children doing haggling, hanging business licenses and handing out citations?

It’s called Box City, and it’s an annual three-week project that centers around the fourth grade class, but involves the entire school.

Box City is less a city, and more of a megalopolis consisting of simulated cities in each fourth-grade teacher’s classroom. Each classroom elects a mayor, city council, police chief, sanitation officer and other elected positions. Additionally, everyone operates a business of some kind.

“Week one, the kids learn all about the government side of the city and electing city officials,” Teacher Alison Norbeck said. “In week two, the students get out of the classroom and visit other cities. And on week three we have our tourists, when students from every grade level come to spend money on the businesses.”