Economics For Leaders
Are you passionate about government and/or economics and curious to learn more about their important connection in making difficult public policy choices? Economics for Leaders is a summer program run by the Foundation for Teaching Economics in which teens learn about some of the main economic drivers of public policy decisions. It is a great way to engage with the practical applications of the ideas that you are learning about in the classroom. Locations vary, so check out the website to learn more.
“Economics for Leaders (EFL) is a selective summer program that teaches student leaders how to integrate economics into the process of decision-making in an interactive learning environment.
The goal of EFL is to give promising students the skills to be more effective leaders and to teach them how to employ economic analysis when considering difficult public policy choices. This course focuses on the introduction and application of economic concepts and economic reasoning skills and introduces students to leadership theory. Given the difficult public policy choices facing governments and their citizens around the globe because COVID-19, teaching these skills and knowledge to the next generation of leaders is one of the most important actions we can take now to ensure our future prosperity.”
How do I get started? See here: Economics for Leaders
How do I expand this narrative arc? If business is part of your narrative arc consider one of these:
Check out one of the many DECA-sponsored business challenges.
Manage a hypothetical $100,000 stock portfolio and compete against other high schoolers in your congressional district in the Stock Market Game
Combine business sense with public interest activism when you enter the Mastercard Challenge to improve banking access to low income populations.
Compete in the National Economics Challenge
Are you an innovative thinker? Consider entering the Mastercard Challenge, where you create new financial products to expand banking access to underserved populations
IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SUMMER PROGRAMS: College admissions officers are very adept at identifying “resume padders”: expensive, one-off programs paid for by your parents which do not mesh with your narrative arc. Therefore, make sure any summer program or course you consider falls into one (or more) of these four buckets:
Highly selective/competitive
Totally unique + linked to your narrative arc
Evidence of adulthood (long hours, multi-year commitment or simply hard work)
A jumping off point or expansion for an authentic narrative arc.
If none of the above apply, a program could still have value to you if it allows you to test a potential interest. However, if it does not end up being a jumping off point for further interests, then you may not want to mention it in your high school resume