NFIB Introduces Small Business Simulation: Johnny Money Online Game
Start Small
CONTACT: Melissa Sharp, 202-314 -2068
NFIB Young Entrepreneur Foundation's small business simulation game
shows high school students what it's like to run their own small
business.
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Just in time for the 2008-2009 school year, the
National Federation of Independent Business Young Entrepreneur
Foundation, in conjunction with the Societal Wealth Program of the
Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, has created a new
small business computer game designed to show high school students
what it's like to run their own small business.
Johnny Money Online Game (JMOG) is an interactive small business
simulation designed to enhance high school students' exploration of
entrepreneurship. The online game is presented through flash-based
Internet technology and allows students to learn about the day-to-day
functions of entrepreneurs and small business owners.
NFIB's Young Entrepreneurship Foundation has partnered with the
Societal Wealth Program of Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs to develop
the game's academic standards. Prof. Ian C. MacMillan, co-director of
the Societal Wealth Program, lead a team of graduate and undergraduate
students in working with YEF to make the entrepreneurship simulation a
resourceful tool for teachers to use in the classroom to show students
what it's like to run their own small business.
"In order to teach high school students to think like entrepreneurs,
teachers can use innovative tools like Johnny Money to inspire
students to take charge of their lives by building their own careers,"
said MacMillan. "The Johnny Money simulation game introduces students
to business concepts in a virtual setting that teaches students to
figure out how their decisions impact their business' bottom line. The
game allows any student from any high school in every demographic
category to aspire to start a business, design it, and learn from
multiple failures and successes of running their own virtual small
business."
"We are very excited to be working with Wharton in creating and
launching Johnny Money," said Hank Kopcial, executive director of
NFIB's Young Entrepreneur Foundation. "Wharton is recognized
nationwide as the leader in business education. Their expertise has
helped make the game user friendly for students and teachers while
ensuring that it is educationally sound. NFIB's Young Entrepreneur
Foundation and Wharton have created Johnny Money to be a fun and
competitive virtual game that students can play to learn key concepts
about running a small business. We can't wait for teachers to start
using our game as a tool to teach students about entrepreneurship."
Teachers, students and anyone interested in testing their skills at
running a small business can visit www.johnnymoney.com to start
playing the game. Click on the Play Now button for the game to start.
The Buddy Group, a digital creative agency headquartered in Irvine,
California, has been working with YEF to develop the game. Visa is Co-
Presenting Sponsor of the NFIB Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom programs
which includes Johnny Money Online Game, Entrepreneur-in-the-Classroom
Curriculum and Take Time to Teach -- mentoring program. All programs
are FREE resources available online for teachers to teach students
about entrepreneurship.
About the Wharton School and Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs
In 1973, The Wharton School became the first school to develop a fully
integrated curriculum of entrepreneurial studies. Today Wharton,
through Wharton Entrepreneurial Programs, supports and seeds
innovation and entrepreneurship globally through teaching, research
and outreach to a range of organizations through its many programs,
initiatives and research centers. At the same time, Wharton students
and alumni are helping to build entrepreneurial enterprises around the
world and impacting virtually every industry.
The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania -- founded in
1881 as the first collegiate business school -- is recognized globally
for intellectual leadership and ongoing innovation across every major
discipline of business education. The most comprehensive source of
business knowledge in the world, Wharton bridges research and practice
through its broad engagement with the global business community. The
school has more than 4,600 undergraduate, MBA, executive MBA, and
doctoral students; more than 8,000 annual participants in executive
education programs; and an alumni network of more than 82,000
graduates.
For more information on the Wharton Business Plan Competition, go to:
http://bpc.wharton.upenn.edu.
For more information about NFIB, go to http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_38451