At the Chinook School Board meeting earlier this week, students from Swift Current Composite High School were in attendance to showcase their club.

The school's business club gave a presentation on their club which has been teaching the students life skills, with a healthy dose of competition included.

Business competitions around the province have had individuals and teams represented from Swift Current Comp, where they continue to consistently place well (A list of the club's results at competitions can be seen at the bottom of the article).

The club was started by Cindy Lowe, a Business Education teacher at the high school and Vice-President of the Saskatchewan Business Teachers Association.

She says that personal passion and experience for finances helped create the club, and keep it thriving.

"When I thought about starting the club, I wanted to do it to get kids engaged in business education, business ideas, personal finance, and entrepreneurship." she said.

Lowe goes on to explain that the passion proved to be infectious among her students as well.

"I know why I wanted to pick finance, with how I loved numbers - I see that glimmer in the kids' eyes as well.

They grasp onto it and they want to use the financial calculators and go to the websites I'm showing them. They start to come to me with ideas, proposals, news items, and current events.

I see that sparkle in their eye and that engagement - it's thrilling. I know what I fell in love with in regards to finance, and I see them experiencing the same thing," she said.

The ability to teach kids financial planning and career skills have left Lowe in a self-proclaimed 'dream job' for herself.

She hopes that the club's financial and business skills can eventually be taught as a mandatory class for credit.

That thought has been echoed by her students as well, as they too recognize the necessity of financial literacy.

Reagan Martin, a grade 12 student in the club, shares his and many students' perspective on the club's role in their future.

"The importance of financial literacy is that I'll need it for the rest of my life. To be a part of a club like this means I get to learn a lot of things that normally I wouldn't get to in school with people that share common interests.

This club also adds a competitive side to learning which fits right into my wheelhouse because I'm a very competitive person," he said.

 Another SCCHS Senior gave the following statement regarding his experience with the club.

Lastly, one of the newer members weighed in on the comradery. Eljay Dungca had the following to say about her experience. 

"Despite the differing opinions on politics and other views, everybody in the club is extremely inclusive. Personally, I joined the club to learn, but the reason I stayed is because of the bond and amusement we have within the group," she said.

Cindy Lowe and all of the students included thanks to Innovation Credit Union, the SC Chamber of Commerce, as well as all of their sponsors of the club. Funding has been covered for this school year, helping the club travel to competitions.

The club's sponsors have even managed to pose as guest judges for practice competitions, as well as give presentations and speeches to the students regularly at meetings.

Lowe hopes that if implemented as a course for credit, the club will not have to rely on sponsorships and third-party funding - although the group 

Below is a year-to-year comparison of multiple events attended by the SCCHS Business Club.