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Marketing and University Communication UW-Green Bay, CL 815 2420 Nicolet Drive Green Bay, WI 54311-7001 (920) 465-2626 E-mail: hildebrs@uwgb.edu Last update: 11/20/06 |
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In
the News Archive - Year:
November 18, 2006 International Business Day a chance to share heritage Students explain economics of native countries By Mike Hoeft
A group from Green Bay's Washington Middle School visited with foreign students at the University of Wisconsin-Green Bay as part of International Business Day organized by the UW-Green Bay chapter of Students in Free Enterprise.
Ryuichi Iwasaki, who is pursuing a master's degree at UW-Green Bay, said his native Japan imports meat, vegetables and airplanes from the United States, which, in turn, imports electronics from Japan. Japan's technology exports include watches and televisions, Iwasaki said.
"And PlayStation 3," he said.
Many of the 12-year-olds seated in front nodded knowingly.
Groups of 12 youths rotated to stations representing six nations. The others were Denmark, Germany, Panama, Spain and Sri Lanka. The middle-schoolers carried mock passports that they filled out and got stamped as they moved from one country to the next.
The youths last year studied geography and this year are studying foreign governments and currencies.
"It's great for them to be able to put faces to places in the world," said Washington seventh-grade social studies teacher Sandy Polarek. "It takes it out of the textbook and into the real world."
Students were required to write two interesting facts about each country represented.
"I learned that Denmark has had the same royal family for over a thousand years," said seventh-grader Brittany Lange. Denmark also is among Scandinavian countries that did not adopt the euro currency used by 12 European nations. Denmark voted to keep the krone, said UW-Green Bay student Pernille Sorensen, a native of Denmark.
Peter Ruud, event coordinator and SIFE member, said International Business Day is meant to show the global relationships between countries. Sri Lanka, for example, imports raw textiles that are manufactured into shoes and clothing that are exported around the world.
"The world is shrinking," said SIFE adviser Ismail Shariff, an economics professor at UW-Green Bay. "It shows how much we depend on others for trade and business."
The middle school students also toured the campus for a glimpse into the life of a college student as a way to get them interested in higher education, said John Stoll, a professor of Public and Environmental Affairs, and chair of the Economics Department.
Michael Broeffle, a seventh-grader, said he'd like to visit Japan and Germany some day.
"Because of all the cultures," he said.
About SIFE
Students in Free Enterprise is a nonprofit organization that challenges students on more than 800 college campuses nationwide to take what they're learning in the classroom and use it to better their communities.
SIFE teams establish community outreach programs that teach budgeting, accounting and supply and demand. They help budding entrepreneurs get their plans off the ground and mentor at-risk students.
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