MKA Board President Teaches Class
On Thursday February 24th, President of the MKA Board of Trustees Michael Johnson volunteered his time in the classroom as he addressed the three sections of Honors Economics classes at the MKA Upper School.
In the words of economics teacher Thomas Carroll, "Mr. Johnson began with a brief background of his career path from petroleum engineer to corporate finance professional specializing in the energy industry. Rather than making a formal presentation, Mr. Johnson used the forum as a case study to encourage active participation from the students. He used a real world company with whom he has an investment banking relationship. The students had an opportunity beforehand to review the company's financial position and the industry segment in which it competes. Their assignment was then to offer their opinions as to the financing options the company should pursue and their rationale behind their conclusions. It was a very interactive discussion and the students were able to get real-time feedback on their work. As circumstance would have it, the company reported their quarterly results immediately before the presentation began, and a number of students had correctly predicted what the company ultimately did!"
This visit was one in a series of scheduled appearances from MKA parents and friends involved in the world of business who provide the students with real-life case studies, experiences and insights to help them better understand the financial world.
In the words of economics teacher Thomas Carroll, "Mr. Johnson began with a brief background of his career path from petroleum engineer to corporate finance professional specializing in the energy industry. Rather than making a formal presentation, Mr. Johnson used the forum as a case study to encourage active participation from the students. He used a real world company with whom he has an investment banking relationship. The students had an opportunity beforehand to review the company's financial position and the industry segment in which it competes. Their assignment was then to offer their opinions as to the financing options the company should pursue and their rationale behind their conclusions. It was a very interactive discussion and the students were able to get real-time feedback on their work. As circumstance would have it, the company reported their quarterly results immediately before the presentation began, and a number of students had correctly predicted what the company ultimately did!"
This visit was one in a series of scheduled appearances from MKA parents and friends involved in the world of business who provide the students with real-life case studies, experiences and insights to help them better understand the financial world.