The Economics for Success (ESIS) is a one-day program, featuring a series of four classroom activities, designed to help students understand the importance of an education and the personal and economic costs of dropping out of school.

SPRING 2010.....after last year's successful ESIS Season, we've decided to do it again! Join schools from all over the Waterloo Region during April, May and June to inspire our young people to stay in school! Call our office for details!

Guided by two business volunteers and a classroom teacher, students learn about the relationship between education and personal goals. They create budgets, learn to understand the costs of living on their own, and explore types of careers to match their lifestyle expectations.

OBJECTIVES

Business volunteers will assist the students to:

• describe the value of a high school education
• identify elements of personal success
• determine the economic consequences of dropping out of school
• prepare a personal budget based on typical wages paid to unskilled workers
• list the personal and economic consequences of dropping out of school and identify alternatives to leaving school.
• learn about resumes and interviews

PROGRAM ACTIVITIES

SUCCESS SESSION Students discuss the meaning of "success" in their own terms and play a board game illustrating the relationship between education and the attainment of personal goals.

INDEPENDENCE SESSION Students identify the costs of living on their own. Working in groups, they develop a single person's budget, focusing on the costs of necessities and luxuries.

OPPORTUNITIES SESSION Students will identify their current skills and understand their value for future job opportunites. Students will complete a simple checklist of skills which helps them to identify their personal talents in an interview setting and participate in interview role-plays.

FUTURES SESSION Students will identify a personal role model to allow them to consider a possible career mentor. Students will play a game to highlight and reinforce career planning options.

THE VOLUNTEER ROLE

The ESIS business volunteer shares his/her expertise and experience with the students while delivering the program through the materials provided by Junior Achievement. Again and again, we have heard from our business volunteers that teaching JA programs to the youth of our community is an enriching experience. In return for helping students to understand the benefits of an education, you will return to your own place of business with your presentation and communication skills enhanced and a great deal of satisfaction knowing you have fostered a positive relationship between our youth and business.