Aspen Heights ‘MicroSociety’

Issue: Financial Literacy

Grant Amount: $68,725.00
Red Deer, AB
Year Funded: 2011
Organization: Aspen Heights Elementary School

Contact Information

Allan Baile
Aspen Heights MicroSociety
e-mail: .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Phone: (403) 347-2581

The purpose of Aspen Heights MicroSociety is to bring Real Life to Learning. MicroSociety develops the leaders of tomorrow and provides students with the opportunity to experience success and demonstrates to students that they have a bright future. Students develop important 21st century skills like communication, critical thinking, decision-making, team-building, and personal initiative that will enable them to thrive in a global economy.

Not only will the Aspen Heights MicroSociety impact students by improving their financial literacy, motivation, behavior, risk taking, and demonstrate to students they have a bright future, it will also be changing the face of future generations today! MicroSociety will have an impact on society by producing citizens who will have a positive affect on the greater community and understand how the world functions. Another aim of our MicroSociety is to build bridges between our students, Aspen Heights School, businesses and the community. Too often schools are thought of as working in isolation, Aspen Heights MicroSociety will help change this view of the Education system by making partners of the business community, Aspen Heights’ students, families, staff and the local community.

Project Updates

MicroSociety at Aspen Heights Elementary School Swearing in of Aspen Heights MicroSociety Citizens and Cheque Presentation from State Farm. Young Venture Manager on local radio station CKGY-95.5

The students and staff are proud to present a promotional youtube Video of MicroSociety.

The music Taking Care of Business by BTO is an appropriate theme song when it comes to understanding and appreciating what MicroSociety really is.

Here is a link to our youtube site:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNde174HkX4

Enjoy!

We have two new links to share with you. The first link is a youtube video of the State Farm Cheque Presentation as aired on Shaw Cable Television. This is combined with the Honorable Judge Mitchell of the Provincial Court of Alberta swearing in the new citizens of Aspen Heights MicroSociety.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueg34xXsFVI

The second link is a very determined grade 3 Venture Manager promoting his business on the local radio station- CKGY- 95.5.

We are very proud of his determination and ability to recognize a great opportunity when it becomes available:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v1lZgdRqF8Q

Aspen Heights MicroSociety gets into election mode. Citizens had the opportunity to elect a Prime Minister and Deputy Prime-Minister. There were 5 candidates for Prime Minister and 2 candidates for Deputy Prime Minister. After the election, the Honorable Judge Mitchell of the Provincial Court swore in all Members of Parliament, the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Minister and the citizens of Aspen Heights Elementary School MicroSociety.

Managers in Training!

A special guest from Lee Specialties, a local oil field company spent two training sessions with the MicroSociety Managers. Topics included, interviewing, hiring, job fairs, and how to organize and run a successful business venture.

Zac Stevenson from the State Farm head office in Ontario, flies to Red Deer to present cheque to our newly elected Prime Minister and Deputy Minister. Local media, including Shaw Cable Television were on hand to tape this special event.

The parents, community and students of Aspen Heights appreciate the strong commitment and support of the State Farm Youth Advisory Board.

A MicroSociety citizen learning how to write a cheque.

Helpinhg Hearts- our non-profit organization that raises money for charities- SPCA, Loaves and Fishes, Natural Disasters in Japan and Slave Lake and Lucy's- an African charity devoted to helping supply medical and school supplies.

Every student at Aspen Heights MicroSociety has a job. Here our Kindergarten students are deliverying the mail to all of the businesses.

The State Farm Youth Advisory Board Grant, allowed each of the 18 ventures to go out and experience the "Real World". Field Trips were arranged with local businesses. These businesses were very enthusiastic to have such an excited group of MicroSociety citizens tour their businesses. In this picture the Dream Catchers Gift Shop takes a tour of the local Michael's store.

In this youtube video, two grade one students are taped on a Typical Market Place Day.

The title of this video is "Through Their Eyes". The young shoppers must first go to the Aspen Bank to fill out a withdraw slip. Then off to the bank tellers to get their money "Stingers". AS they wonder from shop to shop, they do a bit of browsing and window shopping, before they head to the Wellness Centre for a bag of popcorn and a glass of gatorade. Every three weeks students are paid for their hard work in each of their ventures. It is great to see the freedom and choices that even these two grade one students make on their shopping days.

Below is the link for this youtube video:

http://youtu.be/12F4L4Gx0hw

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