Education is on a lot of people's minds today, especially here in Mississippi. Grand legislation has just been passed, like it has been in the past and as it no doubt will be in the future. Some of this may be necessary, some of it may not.

My point in this column is to make a suggestion--from the point of view of an educated layman and a taxpayer--to significantly boost and broaden our school system and do so at no extra cost.

To wit, I think that close partnerships must be developed between businesses and schools. I'm not talking here of the tired, old "job fair" concept that high schoolers are subjected to year in and year out (and which, in my day, was considered more of a day off from work than a helpful guide to future careers).

Middle school, high schools and universities should open their doors to business leaders from around the state and region. These "titans of industry" and equivalents could come in and inspire students with stories of real life experiences, lessons learned and the joy of work. Such lessons and stories really cannot be conveyed through text books or by academics who have never met a payroll. They could also teach the nuts and bolts of running a company, with all of its ups and downs.

Business is the engine of this nation. Although much maligned in the media and in Hollywood, without business we would have no jobs, no goods, no services...nothing. Government does not create squat; its revenue is taken in the main from--that's right--businesses.

Therefore, I think we should encourage our schools to bring in local and regional business leaders on a regular basis to teach students about the excitement and challenges of modern commerce. I believe this would lead to a surge of interest in young people not only pursuing business as a career, but doing so with zeal, confidence and a preparedness that too often is lacking today. It might also keep more of them in the state to pursue their aspirations of success and wealth, which are very noble dreams indeed.

What I am suggesting is similar to what Junior Achievement has been doing for years with strong results. However, I see a broader program in which professionals would act almost as part-time teachers, spending days at a time discussing their businesses, assigning lessons, leading field trips, etc. all to give our future leaders a taste of what could await them. I even envision classes occasionally meeting at a given business's locale, if feasible, in order for students to witness up close and personal what it's like to meet deadlines and satisfy customers.

Plus, skill in business require skill in many other areas: writing, communication, logic, thinking, creativity, etc. Students could hone these while working in conjunction with those businesses who would see fit to participate in such a program I'm suggesting.

Boredom is the enemy of knowledge. We should put our students on the frontlines of the business world, with an executive acting as commander-in-chief, so that they might get their feet wet and their body bruised. But, in so doing, they will learn how to bounce back and meet challenges just like those of us in the real world do.

All of this assumes that the students involved can read, write and think. That some cannot is a major problem that no business person, politician or computer can solve. Only parental involvement and proper teacher methods can do that. But that's another column. For now, I suggest we let businesses help with educating our youth. It won't eradicate every problem we now face; but it would help enormously for the reasons mentioned above.

And what's in it for businesses? It's a fair and legitimate question. I would say that those who took part in such a partnership could spot potential apprentices to nurture and recruit. Plus, they would receive the immediate joy of seeing their work understood by a young mind too often numbed by rote memorization and low expectations. For me, and many others I'm sure, that would be a reward beyond price.

Jack Criss
Executive Editor
Delta Business Journal

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