Amy Albright recently joined the ranks of America’s fastest-growing human resource — young serial entrepreneurs. After completing courses in marketing and advertising, she started a fast-food business, opened an arts-and-crafts shop, and worked in partnership with some of her childhood friends. She refines her managerial skills at her community bank, where she handles payroll for other area businesses. But she’s still unsure of her future. After all, she’s just 11 years old.
Even at her age, Amy understands more about how businesses work than some professionals do: Misplaced advertising means that customers won’t come. Being too strict about rules and procedures means that the best people won’t work for you.
How did this fifth-grader get so savvy? Everything she knows about business she learned in public school — in a “microsociety” called Garehime Heights, in Las Vegas. Based at Edith Garehime Elementary School, the microsociety has its own market-place and currency, postal service, and court system, all run by the kids.
This isn’t a land of snooty hall monitors and student-council presidents. At Garehime, everyone is a leader, everyone has a paying job, and everyone is held accountable. “Our mission is to help people become responsible citizens of a democracy,” explains Francie Summers, the school’s principal.
