Business and Education

Today I was introduced as the 2010 Colorado Teacher of the Year to the state senate and house of representatives. This was a great experience for me, especially since I had never been in the capitol building before (it's beautiful). After this introduction I briefly spoke with some marketing businessmen about education. I shared with these men that I would love to see business more actively involved in our schools. I had two ideas that I would like to see progress throughout the year.

1. We need every business to foster ongoing relationships with schools and their students. This will require human capital and time to build relationships between business employees and students. Tutoring one or more days is very nice and most schools will not turn away this help, but I think we need year long, in-depth, person to person contact between students and business persons. This experience and demonstration of caring means the world to students and motivates them to succeed.

2. Many businesses offer scholarships to juniors and seniors in high school. This is very kind of them but it is too late for many students, particularly students who are classified as "at risk." We need to invest in our students at an earlier age. Offer these students scholarships in the 7th or 8th grade before they have moved onto high school. The scholarship could be offered as a guaranteed source of money for post-secondary education if students complete expected requirements in high school. You set the expectations and if they meet them they are rewarded.

Schools need business and business needs students. Let's work together to foster innovative ideas for increasing high school graduation and college attendance. Please add any thoughts, ideas, or questions.