JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT PROGRAM OFFERED AT UHI
Mitch Kornfeld, Junior Achievement Volunteer Instructor, discusses business matters with a few of the UHI Junior Achievement students. L to R: Ashley Kaplan, Abby Schwartz, Mitch Kornfeld, Mitch Pisarz and seated is Andrew Sarnevitz.
Mitch Kornfeld and UHI student Mitch Pisarz discussing the "Go Green Bag" fundraiser project and profits that go directly to UHI students
During the 2007-2008 school year, a Financial Literacy course was offered at UHI and was a huge success. For most of the year, the middle school students managed their finances as if they had just graduated college and were now gainfully employed with reasonably well paying jobs. The students learned many facets required for responsible money management.
The reception and success of this course is what led to this year's undertaking, the Junior Achievement Entrepreneurial Program. In this course, the students actually form a company that will produce and sell items to generate a profit. This is a twelve-week program, which means it will continue for the balance of the year. This program is designed for high school students. There is only one high school that has undertaken this program, and we are the ONLY middle school to have adopted this very challenging objective. While some of the elements of forming a corporation have been modified, our students are proceeding much the same as high school students would.
The students are learning a great many lessons, both within and beyond our curriculum. First, they are learning to write business correspondence as they will communicate with our local community. Second, they are required to track inventory, costs, and profits. This will reinforce many math skills and introduce them to basic accounting principles. In fact, their enterprise will have a checking account. Third, they must work together as a unit to produce a profit for the company. Fourth, they must develop a set of values by which the company will operate. For example, they discussed honesty, customer service, delivering quality and much more. They must also cooperate and take responsibility for different aspects of the company. They will need to run their own meetings and follow specific guidelines to ensure that proper procedure is followed. They will vote on the major issues and thereby learn so basic elements of democracy itself. There is so much more to this program, and it will be updated in the future.
The students, teachers and administration are very excited about this venture. Taly Kornfeld, President of the PTA, saw the value in this program and brought it to the PTA to underwrite the cost of this project. This is yet another example of PTA providing extra resources to benefit our students.)
Junior Achievement rules require that this program be taught by a volunteer, not a teacher. Who would be the right person to not only engage the students and motivate them to work their hardest to be successful? Who could serve as a mentor for our students by his personal example of persistence and fortitude for the sometimes unforgiving marketplace? We did not have to look far because our own Mitch Kornfeld, co-owner of the Woodlands Inn and Resort, agreed immediately to teach the course and has gotten off to a terrific start. The students were very engaged in his presentations and are well on their way to start their business. This course and Mitch’s commitment will extend for most of the rest of the year.
UHI is greatly indebted to the PTA and the Kornfelds for their commitment and support of UHI and its students.