UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 21, Page 7
February 23, 1995
UD's center a pioneer in economic education field

     When Indianpolis middle school principal Prudence Bridgwaters and
her assistant principal Larry Yarrele program, basing their school
curriculum on a microsociety and economics, they came to the
University's Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship
(CEEE).
     Yarrell has been enrolled in the College of Business and
Economics' master's in economic education program and met director Jim
O'Neill and associate director Bonnie Meszaros while attending the
center's summer sessions. Yarrell admits he was so enthusiastic about
the program that he called Bridgwaters almost daily to share what he
was learning.
     "We want to create a program that will bring education forward
from the 19th century to the 21st by creating a microsociety and
economy where core subjects (math, English, social studies and
science) are taught and then applied to the real world," Yarrell said.
     Bridgwaters shares his vision. "Our school is in a poor, inner-
city district, and many of our students drop out when they reach high
school," she said. "Creating a microsociety is a way to give our
students insight into how the economy and society work by directly
involving them in the process. We want to give them the tools to be
successful, so that they see the need of staying in school."
     When Bridgwaters and Yarrell began to develop the new program, a
visit to the University was a top priority. "Delaware is a pioneer and
has developed a national reputation in the field of economic
education. Jim has developed a network in the field that is very
helpful to us," Yarrell said.
     Bridgwaters and Yarrell had a three-day whirlwind trip to Newark
in January, consulting with O'Neill and Meszaros, talking to educators
and observing area classrooms where the center's economic programs are
in place.
     Renamed the Academy of International Studies, the Indianapolis
school, which houses sixth, seventh and eighth grades, has applied for
grants to develop the new curriculum. The first priority will be
training teachers to implement the new program.
     Basically, the school will be divided into five communities of
approximately 150 students each. Each community will develop a
miniature social system-creating their own political bodies, social
and cultural institutions and economy.
     Students also will become involved in
entrepreneurship-developing, producing and marketing products in and
out of the school community. Through the microsociety and business
development, students will learn the relevance of education.
     In the third year, the emphasis will be on the global awareness,
with a foreign language component where students can select Spanish,
Russian, Arabic or Japanese. A Japanese exchange program between
teachers is already in place.
     Another important commitment is giving back to the community. "We
want our students to learn not just to take but to give," Bridgwaters
said. In keeping with that tradition, students visit a nursing home
and a preschool and have collected and distributed baskets of food to
needy families.
     "We want students to learn the importance of economics in
decision making and learn to become functional citizens by becoming
directly involved in a microsociety and in businesses within the
school, learning how the 'real world' works through hands-on
experience," Bridgwaters said.
     The Indianapolis administrators are not the only ones turning to
CEEE for help. Representatives from the East Orange, N.J., school
district visited CEEE to discuss plans for a magnet school based on
economics and entrepreneurship. They also visited local Delaware
schools.
                                                   -Sue Swyers Moncure