Photograph by Skye Dunlap

Sinking Feeling: Washington school students (from left) Erica Ayala, Vania Vazquez and Kassy York learn how Saratoga Plumbing is run.

Kids learn an economics lesson

Rotary Club and Avenue merchants show students how businesses work

By Chantal Lamers

On Lincoln Avenue on May 8 and 15, owners of mom-and-pop shops and corporate chains let little ears in on their secrets to success.

Hosted by members of the San Jose Downtown Club Rotary, Exploring Business and Careers 2000 gives fifth-graders from Washington Elementary School the opportunity to learn small-business economics. Rotarians want students to learn the connection between their success in school and their future success in the workforce.

Rotarian Dave Tillmanns has headed the annual project for three years. Tillmanns says the idea is to make children aware of opportunities that await. With their futures in mind, Tillmanns hopes events such as these will help children ward off bad choices.

Groups of students traveled to three businesses. Employees, managers and owners told students how they apply math and writing skills to their jobs, what skills they look for in an employee and what education they themselves had undertaken.

At Washington Mutual Bank, operations supervisor Christine Sunseri explained her job responsibilities. She showed students the guard key to a room full of safe deposit boxes. Students looked at the multi-sized boxes and asked what people kept in them. They also asked if they could sneak a peek inside.

Students got to walk inside the ATM and cash vaults, and tried to guess how much money was inside the vault. Sunseri also showed the curious group how a bill-counter works.

The group of fifth-graders wondered what it takes to work at a bank. Sunseri told students that if they aspire to work at a bank, they'll need math and people skills. And if they want to be a bank manager, they'll need a master's degree.

Eight other Lincoln Avenue businesses participated, including Saratoga Plumbing, Willow Glen Jewelers, Starbuck's Coffee, Le Boulanger Inc., Aqui Mexican restaurant, Noah's Bagels, Petroglyph Ceramic Lounge and Casa Casa home accessories and gift store.

Casa Casa co-owner Katie Yeargain has participated in the event for two years. "The kids are really fun," Yeargain said. She tells students that running a business isn't always easy but ultimately it's rewarding. Yeargain explained that Casa Casa imports goods from places such as Italy, China, India and Mexico.

Students walked down the avenue to Aqui, where executive chef Rob Francis told students he runs the "food side" of the business. Francis explained that he went to chef school, where he learned to chop, order and cook foods from places such as Germany, Spain, Italy and Mexico.

"When I grew up, I loved to eat and I loved to cook," Francis said. "To be successful as a chef, you have to have a little bit of love for what you're doing."

Francis went back to chopping up fresh salsa, cooking quesadillas and slicing mango. He left students with a few words. "No matter what you do, you have to stay in school," Francis said. "High school is the minimum."

Kathy Madrid was inspired by Francis' cooking. The 11-year-old said she's thought about being a chef before. Now she's going to start practicing by helping her mom out in the kitchen.

Kenny Gutierrez, 11, plans on attending college. "But if I don't go to college, I'll go to cooking school," he said.

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