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Exploring the world of business
(by Kathryn A. Burger - June 04, 2008)
Hillsdale – Free market economics might seem like an unappealing, even boring, topic for sixth-graders. Gifted and talented middle-schoolers are usually open to exploring ideas and concepts that are new to them, but free market economics?
The Foundation for Free Enterprise (FFFE) provided just the right program to inspire, enthuse and educate sixth-graders who are part of
George
G.
White
Middle School ’s Knowledge Quest program.
The “World of Free Enterprise” program is designed to promote an appreciation of business, economics and the entrepreneurial spirit.
White
School teacher Susan Pausz led the group through the process and coordinated their participation with the FFFE. The goal of the program was to develop a business plan for a new restaurant and present it to a mock loan committee.
First, the students learned some of the basics of free market economics and marketing concepts. To learn first-hand about opening and running a restaurant, they visited the Mountain House restaurant in Westwood. Tom Carney, Jr., co-owner of the restaurant, gave them a tour of the establishment and spoke with them about the risks and rewards of opening a new restaurant. He also showed them how to make some of the items of the menu.
Using what they had learned, the students worked in teams to develop their own business and marketing plans. Once satisfied with their plans, each team got to work preparing a multi-media presentation to show the mock loan committee. They produced a television commercial in the school’s Videography Studio using ChromaKey (green screen) technology and a PowerPoint presentation with a companion portfolio that contained the financial facts, designs and creative ideas they developed for their restaurant.
Then it was time to make their presentation to the committee made up of representatives of the FFFE, including Cynthia Rose and Penilyn Kruge. At the end of each presentation, a team member read a letter requesting the desired amount of the loan they needed to get their business off the ground. All the students were awarded certificates and trophies were given to the teams that presented the most thorough and creative presentations.
Rose commented that one of the inspiring banners on display in the classroom where the students meets – “Never settle for less than your best” – was reflected in the results of the teams’ work. “With such inspiration surrounding them, it is no wonder that we saw high quality work,” she said.
The students who participated in the program were Julia Abolafia, Tessa Breithaupt, Keith Brodek, Patrick Clancy, Katie Collins, Daniel Corrigan, Nick Dentato, Sonny Ray Dominquez, Carly Fiore, Kylie Helfenbein, Mitchell Hirsch, Stephen Liang, Jake Matuszewski, Sharon Sonbolian, Ahsley Steimle, Alice Urbiel and Dylan Whartenby.
Susan Pausz, the teacher who led the group said, “This program is a wonderful way for students to learn about the real world. They used their creativity and many other skills to create these restaurant plans. It is a pleasure to see the enthusiasm of these students while working on and presenting their projects.”
Noreen Hajinlian, principal of
White
School said, “This is not the first year we have participated [in the FFFE program]. The students are really very enthusiastic about it and it has proven to be an enjoyable learning experiences for them.”
The Foundation for Free Enterprise was established in 1975 and since then has involved more than 25.000
New Jersey students in a variety of programs, all designed to promote free market study. For further information about the foundation and its programs, call Cynthia Rose, director of programs at 201-268-2100, ext. 114, or at crose@fffe.org, or write to: Foundation for Free Enterprise, 61 South Paramus Road, Paramus, NJ
07652, or visit www.fffe/org.
Kathryn A. Burger's e-mail address is burger@northjersey.com.
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