Wauconda FBLA hosts American Enterprise Night for peers
Submitted by Wendy Mills
Wauconda High School students are the future. Andrew Lu, Sam Bianco, and Shawna Weber of the American Enterprise Team of the Future Business Leaders of America organization hosted an American Enterprise Night in February in the Wauconda High School Library, where they aimed to teach their peers about the economy that they were about to enter, and the reality that they faced in their adult lives.
The event featured five stations that centered on principles of the American economy in the life of a young adult student: Money Management, Voluntary Exchange, Profit Motive, Private Property Rights, and Competition.
Three FBLA Professional Division member speakers came in to provide their knowledge and expertise on the subject matters, and described how these topics correlated into the life of a student.
Steve Diol, business owner and speaker, gave his knowledge of job-preparation success, preparing a budget, and properly dealing with money at Money Management. Practice job resumes were provided as well.
Voluntary Exchange featured a buying and selling correlation game in which consumers and sellers bargained for the best price within their price range. Participants learned from professional speaker and business owner Louis Sharp, who taught groups about the profit drive of businesses, and how they accomplish their economic goals.
The ability and means in which personal belongings can be dealt with, regulated and bought were taught by Mark Knigge, former mayor of Wauconda and business owner. Students were able to take part in an unidentified soda taste test trial among similar sodas, and they were able to see the entrepreneurial tactics and competition that each company used to keep the loyalty of their businesses.
The main goal was to "inform students about the importance of the American Enterprise system and economy in the life of our generation" as the team put it. "It is extremely significant that we bring awareness to such an important aspect of our lives, something that we take part in everyday, and will continue to affect our adult lives."
The American Enterprise Team hopes to bring further awareness and knowledge to their fellow students about the potential possibilities that they have for success in the free market system of America.
"We want to inspire education and interest in the American Economy, and this inspired our slogan, 'Learn Today, Earn Tomorrow.'" The team is competing in the FBLA State Competition, and plans to continue expanding their project to reach a wider range of students in the future.
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