The Blog

Business tycoons from southwest WA?  All under the age of 20?  Yep.  All thanks to  the Washington Business Week program, local business and education professionals, and the generous sponsorship of the IPT and WA State’s DFI.

60 teens spent this school week learning how to become the next generation of successful business professionals.  Divided into teams and led by educators and business professionals in tandem, students competed with one another over the course of the week while running a business simulation to become the most profitable business. 

In addition to learning how to run a lucrative business, these teens learned about the stewardship responsibilities associated with being a successful professional.  Learning how to treat value co-workers, to respect the environment, and how to plan for emergencies beyond our control – all of these are skills needed in today’s workplace.

Students also had the chance to learn about creating and building their own most profitable life.  Through a generous grant from the Investor Protection Trust and the Support of the Dept. Of Financial Institutions, teens heard the Investor Education in Your Community presentation and learned about the magic of compounding interest and the ease with which tomorrow’s nest egg is created by a commitment to saving just a little bit each and every day.

When the audience was asked who would be starting on the path of saving and investing for the future, over 75% of the hands in the room went up. 

When investor education reaches the ears and eyes of teens, everybody wins.

When I walked into Auburn City Hall and saw Alyssa and Hailey, organizers of Auburn High School’s ‘Rethink Money’ event, I did a double take.  Were these young business women or professionals working at City Hall?

Turns out they were the high school students.  These two, along with fellow DECA students, brought Mayor Lewis, the business community, and several government and not for profits together for an evening that asked participants to rethink money.

Mayor Lewis opened the event by discussing the importance of anticipating the financial pitfalls all of us eventually face, and the rewards of preparing for them.  He asked all of us to embrace the opportunity to prepare for our financial futures, and challenged today’s teens to be the difference that our economy needs when it comes to personal financial choices.

After Mayor Lewis spoke, the group broke into two sections.  One that stayed with me and experienced the Investor Education in Your Community presentation, and another that engaged in business role playing exercises with volunteers from the business, government, and not for profit sectors.  After 45 minutes, each group swapped places.

By night’s end, over 30 teens had learned about the power of compounding interest and how they can easily and inexpensively save for their financial futures by starting as teens.  Additionally, DECA students learned to rethink wealth from another perspective:  Dollars equal opportunities.  The more dollars we have, the more options we have in life.  The larger our savings account balance, the more ways we can impact our communities, either through taking time off from work and donating that time, or giving dollars to causes we care about.

Auburn High School DECA  students should be proud of their well-organized, informative, and fun event.