The University of Florida’s Students in Free Enterprise, better known as SIFE, will hold its Day of Difference March 26 to teach students in Alachua County elementary schools the fundamentals of business.
Partnering with Junior Achievement, SIFE’s Day of Difference teaches students in grades K-5 the basics of business, economics, finance and free enterprise.“I’ve never done something like this before,” said two-year SIFE member Kara Jordan, “but to participate in an event such as this that’s bigger than yourself is really something special.”
SIFE’s Day of Difference last semester organized over 190 student volunteers to teach at 14 different elementary schools in Alachua County.
With student volunteers from organizations such as the Student Finance Group, Delta Sigma Pi fraternity, and the Florida Women in Business group, SIFE hopes to build on its success from last semester.
Brittany Pierce, a 21-year-old marketing major, said one of the goals for this year is “to be in more classrooms with two teachers per classroom.”
Before teaching in the classroom, student volunteers must attend a mandatory training session in order to properly prepare for their roles as teachers. The sessions generally last around two hours and show the volunteers how to teach the material in a fun, understandable and engaging manner.
The volunteers will be provided with teaching kits from Junior Achievement and will spend the full duration of the school day in the classroom teaching kids various aspects of business according to their age level.
As an added incentive this year, students who volunteer with Day of Difference will receive a free voucher to one of Disney’s theme parks through the “Give a Day. Get a Disney Day” program.
For Jordan though, Day of Difference is about much more than just a free trip to Disney.
“As long as I can connect with and teach just one student, then I’ve achieved the point of the whole day,” Jordan said.
Pierce said the chance to be with the kids all day and share lunch with them provides an excellent opportunity to stand out and be a role model.
"I just like the fact that I can help teach and inspire these kids and hopefully make a big impact,” Pierce said.
Students interested in volunteering with Day of Difference or learning more about the event should visit the SIFE Web site at http://ufsife.com/DayofDifference.html.