Introduction to Business and Financial Literacy

Often Sorenson’s Ranch School (SRS) students complain that business and financial literacy classes are hard and not required in their home state, but taking the classes in high school can give students a competitive advantage in the college admission process. If college is not in the student’s futures, at least business and financial literacy classes give them an understanding of the function of commerce in society and a basis for becoming better employees and citizens of their communities. In Addition to expanding students’ knowledge about business, entrepreneurship, and personal finance, these classes teach students many crucial life skills, including leadership and time management. Using this foundation to build on, SRS students begin to understand how personal financial responsibility will touch all aspects of their lives. Business classes introduce students to what it takes to make it in the business world. We are introducing information students can use to help them decide what they are going to do with their future. With changing regulations in society, children today are not given the opportunity to work and learn with hands on experience as did past generations. Today’s children have been immersed in technology and crave interaction in a different manner than past generations. As our society and business adapts to an ever-changing world, these students will become the new business leaders. Business and finance classes at SRS give students those first steps, and insights about what to do next in life. If students decide continuing education is not for them, SRS can still give them the basics necessary for everyday life, no matter what path they choose to take. High schoolers’ hardly know what direction to go, or what skills to build on when they are getting ready to go to college. If we start teaching them skills in high school, they will have a better understanding of the path they can take for the future. By teaching SRS students solid life skills, we are helping all of our futures.

Sorenson’s Ranch School Participating in the Wellness Works Utah Program

Sorenson’s Ranch School is participating in a 4-H program called “Wellness Works Utah” for the next ten weeks. The program promotes healthy living through fun and educational programming. It does this by the use of team-work skills, pro-social activities, nutrition education, and physical activity. There was an assembly on Monday, April 11, in the Sorenson’s Ranch School gymnasium to explain the program and to sign up teams. Students and Sorenson’s Ranch staff are participating in teams of two to five people. The teams are same sex and are all students, all staff, or a combination of students and staff.
The program consists of taking some pre-test measurements (such as heart rate, blood pressure, body mass index, percent body fat, and weight), tracking exercise for ten weeks, and then taking a post test on the same measurements. An additional element of the program is the “Walk across Utah.” The teams will be figuring their virtual mileage each week and tracking their progress on a trail across Utah. Teams can earn bonus miles for such things as not drinking any soda the first week, doing 20 sit-ups in one minute the second week, sleeping a minimum of eight hours per night the third week, and so on. The areas of focus in the Bonus Mile System are aerobic, strength, balance, flexibility, nutrition, sleep, stress and life skills. There will be a variety of prizes at the end for winners in different categories.
Sorenson’s Ranch School staff and students are excited to be participating in this program. Being a team-based program brings a fun level of competition that supports motivation. Most everyone needs a little motivation when it comes to getting and staying in shape.