Seventh Graders learn about decision-making through Junior Achievement

Kyle McDonald, of Sanofi - Aventis, explains how to play the game Choose Your Success to Cape Junior High School students during Friday’s Junior Achievement program. McDonald, who is also president of the Cape Girardeau School Board, was one of 13 local business leaders who donated their time to help students learn the principals of budgeting and decision-making.

Seventh graders at Cape Central Junior High School examined life choices, occupations, budgets, decision-making and consequences when 13 local business leaders called classes to order Friday morning as part of the Junior Achievement program. Students gained an understanding of the important relationship between education, work and opportunities for success. They received occupation cards and observed how different jobs provide different monthly salaries. Students evaluated the opportunity costs of decisions as they formed budgets and compared their spending to suggested amounts. The exercises helped them recognize that a balanced budget is important for workers of all income levels, and identified appropriate situations to use cash or credit.

Local business people who donated their time to the program were Kyle McDonald, Derieck Hodges, Teri Wilson, Philip Moore, Jeanne Churchill, Justin Pobst, Travis Niswonger, Wendy Hayes, Kim Simon, Maureen Hodges, Narvol Randol, Shawn Swift and Nick Reyonlds. According to Merideth Pobst, district manager for Southeast Missouri Junior Achievement, the regional chapter was established in 1943, and the local chapter in 2005, to educate and inspire children in grades K through 12. It reaches 700 public and private schools at no cost to the schools.