“Ow!” Clay felt something under his foot and looked up to see a small 2nd grade girl, wincing in pain. “Sorry!” he called out as he hurriedly pushed his way forward through the chaotic scene. It was the same old routine every day for Clay and his fellow 4th and 5th grade classmates – […]
Month: August 2012
Genie in a Bottle
Shaun, a redheaded boy whose face is dotted with hundreds of freckles, took position at the head of the table and rapped his fist, calling a meeting to order. “I have an exciting idea to share today,” he said, clearing his throat. “Genie Bottles Inc. is the top selling company in our MicroSociety and […]
No Funny Money
As the newly appointed president of Imagine Columbia Leadership Academy’s Micro bank, fourth grader Sam oversees dozens of transactions every day. But one day, after cashing his paycheck and receiving a freshly counted bundle of Micro bills, Sam had a strange thought. He leaned over to the teller, his classmate Shauna. “I never really […]
A Sonic Shift: From Classroom Clown to Magnificent Mailman
“Here’s your mail, Mr. Miller,” Cory beamed proudly as he handed over a neatly bundled batch of letters and postcards to the 3rd grade math teacher. If there’s one thing that can be counted on at Eugenio Maria de Hostos Elementary School, it’s the mail. Neither rain, nor snow, nor science homework can keep […]
Harold’s Hundred Dollar Rug
Harold glanced down at the cash in his hand. It was break time, and his classmates were busy forking over Micros for piping hot pizza slices and ice cold drinks. He could sure go for a piece of pepperoni pizza, but he was saving his money for something else. Something special. Every day, he […]
Mustafa’s MED Week Misadventure
Mustafa flopped down into his seat and let out a groan. Several people had already visited hisHealth and Fitness venture yet poor Mustafa hadn’t sold so much as a single bottle of lotion. His shoulders shrugged, he wore a frown of aggravation, and he let out a lament in the form of a sigh. […]
A Day in the Life of a MICROSOCIETY Intern: MED Week Meditations
Last week, I felt envy toward a 6th grader. Now before you wonder why a college student would be jealous of a child, I will tell you that it lasted for about a minute before it turned to awe. With 45 minutes of training, one yellow school bus, and twenty boxed lunches to fuel […]
Small Business 102: The Tale of Two Colombian Entrepreneurs Continues to Unfold
Ana Maria and Paula were millionaires. Make that multi-millionaires. Thanks to their co-owned venture, Fashion Runway, they held more Micros than anyone in their Pre-K through Grade 12MicroSociety. It was quite possible that they held more Micros than any citizen in any MicroSociety ever had. Which was enough to paint smug smiles on their faces. As their fellow […]
A Campaign for Change
“If selected as your MicroSociety president this year, I will make this YOUR society. I will listen and hear your voices. I will make the changes that you want to see. I will leave this place better than I found it. I promise I will not let you down.” 8th grade Ben paused to take a sip of […]
One Small Step
He saved their school. Single-handedly…well with four paws to be precise. Niko, a German Shepherd member of the McHenry County police force, took down a weekend would-be burglar. On Monday, theMicroSociety citizens and their facilitators gathered for a Town Hall meeting to address their incident-related concerns. And separate fact from fiction. Some of them had seen […]