1 Million Cups goes back to school with BreadVault

Emerging Prairie guest writer Conner Scott is at it again, this time with his thoughts on last week’s 1 Million Cups Fargo event.

Those who attended 1 Million Cups Fargo last Wednesday may have been surprised to be going back to middle school for the morning. Ross Almlie from BreadVault and Dave Carlson from Oak Grove Lutheran School in Fargo stopped by to give everyone a lesson in finance.

Accompanied by an entourage of 36 investment experts, Ross and Dave explained their unique rolls in sixth grade experiential learning. This process is made possible by BreadVault, a virtual personal finance lab that enables its users to make all kinds of investment, budgeting, and finance decisions.

This curriculum was designed to teach students how to manage their personal finances well so that they can be prepared to make a positive influence on the economy in the future. While Ross and Dave presented, they asked a few sixth graders for their educated opinions on some financial matters based on their experience in a recent investing competition.

After hearing from a group of students who had a 22 percent return on their investments, a return that was 4 percent higher than those of the top university teams, it is safe to say the curriculum is effective.

Business owners, new entrepreneurs, and interested community members are all invited and welcomed at 1 Million Cups. After the initial 6-minute pitches, attendees are given opportunity to ask questions and provide input for speaking startup founders. This constructive dialogue is a win-win for both parties and a boon to our community.

1 Million Cups Fargo is back on The Stage at Island Park on Wednesday, April 23, at 9:15 AM. Scott Anderson of Melville Kids Studios will be there to share the story of his Fargo-based company that makes kids’ art from U.S.-made materials. Tell us you are coming so Miguel Danielson of Danielson Legal LLC knows how much coffee to have on tap!

Twitter users, be sure to show some love and tweet @1millioncupsfar this week and during the event!