SectionsSIFE teaches economics to community members
Matt Bottchen
Issue date: 1/18/05 Section: Features
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Students interested in helping around the community can check out Students in Free Enterprise. SIFE's main focus is to teach others about ethics, entrepreneurship, financial independence and free market economics.
One of the organization's faculty sponsors, Juan Meraz, said that anyone can come to the meeting and that all majors are welcome. The program begins at 5 p.m. in Glass Room 101. Meraz said that the organization does a lot of work with kids, college students and senior citizens.
"The best thing about SIFE is not about ourselves but how we help others learn and succeed," Meraz said.
He said he thinks that anyone who participates will enjoy the organization and that anyone involved in the organization's projects will benefit.
President of SIFE Jill Gumerman said, "People who are interested in community service and working with other people would enjoy it the most."
Meraz said the organization has bi-monthly meetings where they have local entrepreneurs tell their story. He said they also have SIFE City, which is an event where members teach local fifth graders how to write checks, make deposits, apply for jobs, elect a mayor, and run a city. He said this Friday SIFE is having its first "Mini" Surfers class with second graders from Delaware Elementary School. The class will come to campus for an orientation, pizza lunch and a two-hour computer session in one of the CIS labs. The purpose of the project is to help students understand and use computers and the basic use of the Web. SIFE members will present the lesson plans as well as operating the project.
"We've been doing a lot with elementary kids," Gumerman said. She said children are probably the ones that benefit most from SIFE. She said the organization has worked with Greenwood Laboratory School, Willard South Elementary and has done a lot of work with Delaware Elementary.
Another project that SIFE has planned is "Senior Surfers," which is a quick seminar for senior citizens on how to use a computer. The topics cover basic computer skills, Microsoft Word and Excel, Internet searches and e-mail. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 22 in Glass Hall Room 224 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
One of the organization's faculty sponsors, Juan Meraz, said that anyone can come to the meeting and that all majors are welcome. The program begins at 5 p.m. in Glass Room 101. Meraz said that the organization does a lot of work with kids, college students and senior citizens.
"The best thing about SIFE is not about ourselves but how we help others learn and succeed," Meraz said.
He said he thinks that anyone who participates will enjoy the organization and that anyone involved in the organization's projects will benefit.
President of SIFE Jill Gumerman said, "People who are interested in community service and working with other people would enjoy it the most."
Meraz said the organization has bi-monthly meetings where they have local entrepreneurs tell their story. He said they also have SIFE City, which is an event where members teach local fifth graders how to write checks, make deposits, apply for jobs, elect a mayor, and run a city. He said this Friday SIFE is having its first "Mini" Surfers class with second graders from Delaware Elementary School. The class will come to campus for an orientation, pizza lunch and a two-hour computer session in one of the CIS labs. The purpose of the project is to help students understand and use computers and the basic use of the Web. SIFE members will present the lesson plans as well as operating the project.
"We've been doing a lot with elementary kids," Gumerman said. She said children are probably the ones that benefit most from SIFE. She said the organization has worked with Greenwood Laboratory School, Willard South Elementary and has done a lot of work with Delaware Elementary.
Another project that SIFE has planned is "Senior Surfers," which is a quick seminar for senior citizens on how to use a computer. The topics cover basic computer skills, Microsoft Word and Excel, Internet searches and e-mail. The event is scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 22 in Glass Hall Room 224 from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
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