by Suzi Taylor
From the 1998-99 4-H Clover Project Selection Guide

Mini-Society® helps kids learn entrepreneurship concepts

Mary Dunn was just an ordinary citizen trying to make a living, right alongside those other ordinary businesses--the hair colorers, the nail polish artists, the Flubber manufacturers. And from all over Ooga-Booga Land, people were plunking down their oogas (the local currency) at Mary's business. Her business concept was simple--pony up five oogas and shoot three darts at a dart board. Make a bullseye, and walk away with 10 oogas. No bullseyes, and your cash stays with Mary. The new entrepreneur was striking it rich.

Until trouble hit.

A concerned Ooga-Booga citizen cried foul. "But that's gambling!" she said. "And we don't allow gambling in Ooga-Booga Land...do we?!" Nobody knew for sure. So the town council met.

Mary was tense as the Ooga-Booga Land democracy decided the fate of her business. Was her entrepreneurial venture indeed gambling? And, if so, was it legal in that country? After much deliberation, the citizens' decision came down. Mary's business could go on.

That was just another day in the life of Ooga-Booga, or the land of "Jade," or a myriad of other "mini-societies" developed across Montana this past year.

As part of the Mini-Society® programs, administered by Cascade County 4-H Extension Agents Sheryl Knowles and Mary Dunn (also a part-time Ooga-Booga entrepreneur), kids aged 8 to 12 learn the concepts of business and entrepreneurship by creating their own country with its own flag and currency, and developing their own businesses to make a living--anything from a movie theatre to a radio station to a desk cleaning service.

Extension agents Corinne Cramer and Joel Clairmont also conducted Mini-Society® camps, Cramer in Lake County and Clairmont on the Flathead Reservation . A Mini-Society® leadership training seminar was held in Lewistown this summer, and the program was a featured workshop at the Governors' Summit for Youth .

Even though leaders become ordinary citizens, just like all the kids in the society, they are trained to recognize "teachable" moments--times when ordinary business concepts present themselves through natural business activity.

For example, society members might decide they want more money. Why not just print more? The concept of inflation can be discussed. Or what if one business wants to assure another business doesn't copy its idea? The idea of trademarks is taught. And the list goes on.

"You can not make them do it the way you know it will work best," says Mary. "You let them make that choice. If they see it isn't working, they regroup and try again."

"We had some kids who said, 'I think I'll be a bum for awhile,'" said Peggy Perry, a 4-H leader and 5th grade teacher at Centerville School. "But they got tired after awhile of not having any money, so they got jobs."

The Mini-Society® programs and training sessions were made available from grants to the Cascade County Extension 4-H Foundation by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City. Kids older than 12 are encouraged to participate as facilitators and mentors for younger kids. For more information, contact Mary Dunn at (406) 454-6980 (mdunn@montana.edu). 

If you read this, we need to know who you are! Send questions or comments along with your city/state/country and subject of the item you read to Suzi Taylor . Or you can send letters to Suzi Taylor, MSU Communications Services, 416 Culbertson Hall, Bozeman, MT 59717.