NASHUA – A group of high school students is working to bridge the gap between elementary school, middle school and high school through interactive, entrepreneurship-based games.

Nashua High School South marketing students Alexis St. Laurent and Elana Finkelstein, along with a new group member, Kaitlin Fitzgibbons, and Nashua Technology Center South Director Mike McQuilkin have been visiting Nashua classrooms to speak with students about entrepreneurship and the paths that will be available to them down the road.

Last year, St. Laurent, Finkelstein and two other classmates who have since graduated – Samantha Meyer and Jecca Riley – were asked by their marketing teacher to start thinking of ideas for projects they would be interested in pursuing.

The students decided they wanted to teach young students about entrepreneurship through board games. While teaching students, they also planned to share information about DECA, a career and technical student organization with members across the world who have the opportunity to pursue a career in the business world.

Last October, the group visited Jean Godlewski’s DECA class at Fairgrounds Middle School to encourage the students to participate in the high school’s DECA program. During their visit, they also shared information on the 18 available pathways that are available through the Nashua Technology Center, one of which includes marketing.

Following their presentation, they had students participate in a “make it or break it” activity. The game was used to teach students new DECA vocabulary, and it also taught them how to operate a successful business. In the activity, students had to answer different questions to determine if they would lose or gain money (based on their answers). Students broke into groups and worked together to complete the activity.

In December, the students and McQuilkin traveled to Elm Street Middle School to speak with English Language Learner (ELL) students and, once again, show them the different paths they could take once they get to high school. The marketing students created an entrepreneurship game with a Candyland board.

This week, St. Laurent, Finkelstein, Fitzgibbons and McQuilkin once again visited classrooms, only this time they hosted a presentation and hands-on activities with fourth- and fifth-grade students in the 21st Century Extended Day program.

Program site coordinator Casey Apfelberg was the one who reached out with interest in having the students come visit.

“Part of my job is to look at the overall scope and see what needs are not being met,” Apfelberg said. “I noticed we were missing entrepreneurship, so I reached out to the high schools.”

Casey said this visit connects high schoolers with elementary school students and is tangible.

“It’s nice to see them learn while playing a game they enjoy,” Apfelberg said.

McQuilkin said having the marketing/DECA students come in was a natural fit, given that the Power Scholars program also was running.

On Tuesday, the group spent time at Amherst Street Elementary School and on Wednesday, they visited Fairground Elementary School.

“Our mission for the summer presentations is to promote entrepreneurship to the elementary school level,” St. Laurent said.

When the group presented last, they focused on different aspects of entrepreneurship. This time around, they spent time going over different terms such as consumer, advertising and wants vs. needs.

After their presentation, the fourth- and fifth-grade students were split up into groups to play “The Path to Success.” Within the game, these students had to pick cards and move their pieces around a Candyland board based on the success of their business.

St. Laurent said one of their main purposes of the visits was to get students exposed to DECA .

“They really don’t get enough exposure, that’s what we’ve learned in our surveys,” St. Laurent said.

McQuilkin echoed St. Laurent and said many students don’t know that programs such as DECA, along with other Career Technical Education courses exist, until they are in high school.

“These students do such a great job at getting (younger) students excited,” McQuilkin said. “I can go down to the middle school and speak with students about our programs, but bringing down CTE students is what gets them excited.”

“We are going to continue spreading awareness of our programs,” he added.

“Both age groups that we have worked with have been very engaged,” St. Laurent said Tuesday.

Fitzgibbons, who recently joined the group, said she has enjoyed the project so far.

“It’s great seeing how eager these students are to learn. They are gaining knowledge while playing a game,” Fitzgibbons said.

Group member Elana Finkelstein added, “These students see this as a fun game. They don’t even realize that they are learning.”

The students were able to bring their project to the National DECA competition last year and have a goal of ranking higher in the competition next spring.

They also would like to create a similar game based off the game Pay Day and work with more English Language Learners and students from other community organizations, such as the Boys & Girls Club.

Grace Pecci may be reached at 603-594-1243 or gpecci@nashuatelegraph.com.