CAPE UPDATE: VISITING CAPE JR. HIGH SOCIAL STUDIES CLASSES

During the past week I've had the opportunity to visit two specific classes at Central Junior High School. Rich Payne and Charles Schroeder's sixth and seventh period social studies classes, respectively, studied poverty and wealth and the elements of economics. Both classes had student enrollments which spanned the academic spectrum from the academically talented to the at-risk. To quote from a group in the seventh period, "a group of wonderful and intelligent students." This they were!

It should be noted that both classes were users of the Southeast Missourian's Newspaper in Education program. The students utilized this program to study current events and discuss real world issues and relate them to their studies.

During the discussions of factors of production, principals of command or market economies, or social welfare programs to combat poverty, the importance of education to maintaining our free market economy became apparent. Students quickly drew the connection between poverty and the lack of education. Equally worthy of the discussion was the development of our nation's most important resource: it's people, our students.

Education provides our young people greater opportunity for employment and for jobs of the future. Although communities are acutely aware of the cost schools, the students also recognized this cost as an investment translating to overall savings. Strong school systems actually serve to enrich the quality of life in our community by raising the standard of living. Communities with higher educated populations experience reduced criminal activity.

Mr. Payne and Mr. Schroeder's classes studied the fundamental economic theories of our free market system. But I suspect these students do not fully realize how their studies will someday help them compete in a global economy, or more importantly encourage them to strive for excellence. While critics concentrate on the cost, the investment in these students is a small investment in the preservation of our economy and democracy itself.

To Mr. Payne and Mr. Schroeder, and their respective students, thank you for a wonderful week.