Photos by Matt Gentry | The Roanoke Times

Pulaski Middle School students run a "post office" in the school's microsociety, an after-school program. "I was the only boy, so I got to be the manager," says sixth-grader Noberto Garcia, who manages the post office.

Pulaski Middle School students raise their hands to make a motion to adjourn the meeting of the school microsociety's first town hall meeting. One of the main reasons for the microsociety program is to give students something to do after school, says Eric Bucey, education director for Beans and Rice Inc., a Radford nonprofit that offers after-school programs, job training and economic development projects and is a consultant for the middle school program.

During one of the microsociety's town hall meetings, Pulaski Middle School student Betty Estep (left) is sworn in as a school "judge" by Deborah Blevins, who is a deputy commissioner with the Virginia Workers Commission and also a parent of middle school students. The students and their faculty sponsors gather at the middle school for an hour three days a week for the after-school program.

PULASKI -- Noberto Garcia is in the sixth grade and already has management experience to list on his resume.

"I was the only boy, so I got to be the manager," Noberto joked last week after getting his daily $5 paycheck.

The Pulaski Middle School student runs the post office in the school's microsociety, a miniature Pulaski created through an after-school program aimed at teaching kids life lessons -- work hard, pay taxes, respect each other and, when there's a break, have fun.

Noberto is one of 120 middle school students who have jobs, pay personal and business bills and run government meetings in the school-based microsociety.

"I never have anything to do at home," said 11-year-old Desmond Claytor. "This gives me something to do."

That's one of the main reasons for the program, said Eric Bucey, education director for Beans and Rice Inc., a Radford nonprofit that offers after-school programs, job training and economic development projects and is a consultant for the middle school program.

The effort is being funded by the Virginia Department of Education, which gave Pulaski County's schools $200,000 as part of a group of 21st Century Community Learning Center grants. The grants help schools create programs to extend class lessons for students.

The money was used to start the microsociety, which includes a bank, post office, restaurant, gym, nail salon, newspaper and a legislature and mayor.

The students and their faculty sponsors gather at the middle school for an hour three days a week. The program should last the whole school year, and there should be enough funding to continue it for two more years.

Classrooms morph into warehouses and businesses, where the students perform jobs and run the town.

Students drew cards from a hat to decide their jobs. After nine weeks, they'll do what Americans do often: find another job.

This is a typical work day in Pulaski society: For 20 minutes of the hourlong day, students study and complete homework. The rest of the time, they tend to their jobs -- paying the bills and making sure their businesses and organizations are in order and have their necessary supplies. On breaks, they can wander around the mini town of Pulaski. Sometimes the government has a public meeting. Before the day ends, students write about their day's experiences.

If they show up and do the job, they earn their pay. What doesn't go to weekly taxes, a business license or fines for running or other broken laws, they keep and can spend around town.

During a recent break, Desmond, a clerk in the town manager's office, tried to grab a quick bite from Oriole Grill. But because its student manager was absent, the grill was closed.

Students can snack on wholesome food, such as apples and caramel or milk. Part of the grant pays for the food. It also pays for nail polish in the salon, art supplies in the craft room and warehouse and computer programs that can help kids brush up on lessons.

Bucey said some of the students chosen to be residents might not get nutrition they need at home. Because 21st Century grants typically go to schools with low-income students, teachers chose students who fit the criteria for free and reduced lunch prices, or those who were having trouble with their Standards of Learning lessons.

But the chosen residents aren't the only ones to work in the microsociety. It seems everyone wants to work there.

"My kids talk about it in class," said Vicky Johnson. She's a sixth-grade math teacher in real life but oversees the government in the microsociety.

"They're getting the idea," she said. "It's hard every day coming to work, but they're learning about themselves and what they can do. It's not a big issue, but it's enough."