Past Projects
Intro to Economics and Finance Program
Objectives
The objectives of the Intro to Economics and Finance 101 Program, designed for six-grade students, are to 1) introduce students with introductory concepts of economics, finance and globalization, 2) educate students about the current economic/financial state of our nation/world, and to 3) reach out to the pre-middle school community regarding their potential as business students and 21st century competitors.
The program covers fundamental economic and financial subjects, including the basis of an economy, supply and demand, liquidity, sole-proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, the value of a company, the stock market and stocks, and globalization.
Mission Tasks
- Develop a brief program curriculum.
- Design a program PowerPoint and platform that is understandable and engaging to six-grade students.
- Present the program to students and host related Q&A session.
- Recap the program with students and teachers.
Recap
Two members from the Regional Economic Development Association, William Black and Erik Pavia, developed and presented the Regional Identity: Intro to Finance and Economics Program to a class of sixth grade students at Alderete Middle School.
The hour and a half presentation was developed to teach the simplest fundamentals of economics and finance to a pre-middle school class.
“One reason we wanted to do this is because some of the material we’re going to cover today isn’t really taught to kids until they reach high school,” Pavia said. “We want to give them just a basic insight into what it is that the economy is-what finance is- just so that when they turn on the news, they’ll have a better understanding as to what it is that everybody is talking about.”
Some subjects that were discussed during the presentation included the basis of an economy, supply and demand, liquidity, sole-proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, the value of a company, the stock market and stocks, and globalization.
The students found the subject matter engaging, despite its complexity and virtual nonexistence in previous classroom curriculum. The students and REDA plan to refine and represent the economics and finance presentation for other six-grade students around El Paso.
“What I liked mostly about the presentation was learning about the companies- how they increase and decrease in stocks, importing and exporting goods,” sixth-grader Miranda Guerrero said. “I learned a lot from this experience.”
William Black is an Economics and Finance major at UTEP and can be reached at wcblack@miners.utep.edu. Erik Pavia is an Economics major and can be reached at elpavia@miners.utep.edu.
