How a SIFE Team Can Start a High
School SIFE/SAGE Program in Your State
or Country
A Guide to Help You Start a Fire of Economic
Freedom for High School Students
2004/2005
An Invitation
Do you want to work with younger students in
your region to help them develop their
entrepreneurship, business, global economic,
leadership and teamwork skills?
 Do you want your protégés to become
champions?
 Do you truly want to change the world?

The Overall Idea
The CSU, Chico SIFE team would be honored
to work with your SIFE team in the 2004/2005
academic year.
 We want to share our best project with
you…It’s called “Global SAGE.”

– We would like to help you start a High School
SAGE program in your state or country!
Why Is It Called
“SAGE?”

The acronym stands for Students for the
Advancement of Global Entrepreneurship.
– SAGE is a project conceived by the CSU, Chico
SIFE team.
– SAGE is an international NETWORK that links
secondary school student organizations to
university student mentors to advance global
entrepreneurship in an ethical and sociallyresponsible manner.
How Does SAGE Relate to SIFE?

SIFE stands for Students in Free Enterprise,
and is currently active on 1,200 universities
and community colleges across the globe.
– The mission of each collegiate SIFE team is to
make a difference in their communities by
learning, practicing and teaching the principles
of economics and free enterprise.

SAGE is an outstanding program for SIFE
teams to start as their own SIFE project
A Successful Model:
“California SAGE”

In California, we have conducted a “Cal-High SIFE”
program for several years.
– In order to expand this program to other regions, we
have created the SAGE network, of which California
SAGE is now a part.
– In 2003-2004, a total of 16 high schools competed.
– This year we expect over 30 California high schools to
compete.
– We are now in a position to share our success with you!
How Do You Get Started?

All your SIFE team has to do is identify at least
one high school in your area and
– become their coach and mentor as the younger
students complete at least one entrepreneurship
project, one community outreach project, and
one teaching project (see details in the SAGE
Training Manual on our website)
To recruit a high school,
we suggest any or all of the following:


Your adviser can contact the local high school
districts and ask if there are any
“entrepreneurial” or “service-learning” classes
who would like college mentors throughout the
year;
Offer to make a presentation at an upcoming
school board and/or PTA meeting.
To recruit a high school,
we suggest any or all of the following:
 Make
a presentation to a school assembly
or an existing student group (e.g., DECA,
FBLA, FFA, Virtual Enterprise, Skills USA,
Jr. Achievement, business academies,
etc.).
– Bring a few copies of the SAGE Training
Manual (make sure to revise the handbook
to accommodate your needs).
Why Would A High School
Want To Be Involved?

Near the end of each academic year (preferably
February, March, or April), the high schools from each
region will come together for the regional high school
competition hosted by the participating college SIFE
host.
– The high school that is judged to be that region’s
“champion” earns recognition, prize money and an
invitation to travel to the SAGE World Cup!!
HOSTING A SAGE COMPETITON

The first college SIFE team in your region to volunteer
to be a “host” campus for at least three competing high
school SAGE teams will be designated “Region-High
SIFE/SAGE” host.
– Other SIFE teams from a region are also encouraged to
participate by mentoring a high school in their area, and
bringing them to the High SAGE competition sponsored
by the host campus.
Hosting A SAGE Competition
There is no fee to establish a SAGE program
in a region.
 There is no required model for setting up a
SAGE program in a region, and each program
makes the decisions in each region.

– The only requirement is that each High School
SAGE team follows the eight judging criteria,
detailed on the last page.
Hosting A SAGE Competition


The winner of the regional competition is eligible to
compete in SAGE World Cup (we expect the 2005
SAGE World Cup to take place in the middle of August
in San Francisco, CA. The year after that, 2006, we
hope to have the World Cup in the Philippines,
Poland, or Mexico). The Chico State SIFE office must
certify the regional competition.
It is the responsibility of each SAGE host to organize
and fund a regional competition.
– This includes arranging travel to the competitions, and
providing prize money and awards for the competing
high school teams.
How To Fund A
SAGE Competition

Chico State SIFE has had great success through
partnerships with major companies who support
our mission.
– Last year, for example, one private foundation
provided our team with a $66,000 grant for this
program.

Other companies who have provided financial
support include Walgreens, Pepsi Bottling, Petco,
Office Depot, E&J Gallo and Chevron/Texaco.
How To Fund A
SAGE Competition

Involve your local business leaders in
identifying high school teams, and potential
projects.
– Then, invite them to judge the high school
presentations.
– The more you involve them, the more they feel like
they are part of the SAGE family.
How To Fund A
SAGE Competition


Upon request, Chico State SIFE will provide
examples of sample grant proposals, concept letters
and contact names of companies who may sponsor
this program in your area.
Another great way to attract sponsorships is to make
presentations to local business and civic groups.
– In the US, such groups include the Chamber of
Commerce, Rotary, Kiwanis, and Suroptimist Club.
How To Fund A
SAGE Competition

Don’t be discouraged if funding is hard to come by in the
first year.
– If you do a great job the first year and you publicize the
results in the media, funding will become easier over time.
– The key is to embrace SIFE’s leadership philosophy:
“People support what they help create.”

Toward this end, Chico State SIFE can provide you with
sample press releases and public service
announcements that have aired on local TV and radio.
Why Is This Project So Important?

We believe that the human and physical resources
available at most colleges and universities are
underutilized in terms of helping high school students
achieve financial literacy, entrepreneurship skills, and
knowledge of international trade.
– This is why we encourage all SIFE teams across
the world to find at least one high school to mentor.
Why Is This Project So Important?

Financial concepts and entrepreneurship are not taught
well in the high schools.
– According to the Jumpstart Coalition for Personal Literacy,
50% of U.S. high school seniors don’t make the grade in
their knowledge of managing money, investing and savings.
– Also, a recent Gallup survey found that, even though 70% of
high school students want to start their own business, more
than half acknowledged that their understanding of business
issues is poor.
Why Is This Project So Important?


A recent poll of 800 students conducted at the International
Business Student Exposition and Career Opportunity Fair,
showed that an understanding of the global workplace/culture
was the area in which students thought they were least
prepared for in the working world.
As today's youth become the leaders of tomorrow, it is vital for
them to learn how trade affects many aspects of their lives.
But the subject of international trade is not generally included in the
high school curriculum; the subject is largely absent from our schools.
What Should Your Adopted High
Schools Call SAGE Project?

If one of the high schools in Abilene is participating,
the high school group could call the project “Abilene
High School SAGE Team”
– If the high school is using an existing student group
like FBLA, DECA, FFA participates, it can call the
project “Abilene High FBLA/SAGE.”
Other Tidbits

Any SIFE team in the US or another country can link their
team(s) with the CSU, Chico SIFE team.
– Since 1994, CSU, Chico has adopted 36 rookie SIFE teams, and
have worked closely with several sister SIFE teams.

We believe in the concept of “co-opetition,” meaning that we
will cooperate with any SIFE team that wants to help us
spread the fire of economic freedom.
– Only when at competitions where we must compete with a sister
SIFE team in the same league, do we enter the “compete” mode.
Other Tidbits

To formalize SAGE as an organization in a region, there
must be at least three participating High School SAGE
teams in that state or country.

We assist people from all regions in establishing a regional
High School SAGE organization and can provide training
support, but no direct financial support.
– CSU, Chico SIFE can help with fundraising ideas in a region.
– CSU, Chico SIFE provides training for a host campus.
Other Tidbits

As far as rules, one just needs to follow the format that
CSU, Chico SIFE uses in the SAGE Training Manual
– Ultimately, if your college campus wants to become the
host site for the High SAGE competition, you must first be
certified by Chico State SIFE in order to avoid duplication
of effort.
Making A Difference


The mission of each SIFE team is to make a difference in their
communities …SAGE will make a difference!
SAGE is a project conceived by the CSU, Chico SIFE team.
– The acronym stands for Students for the Advancement of Global
Entrepreneurship, an international group that links secondary
school student organizations to university student mentors to
advance global entrepreneurship in an ethical and sociallyresponsible manner.
Please join us!
For More Information
Contact our Sam M. Walton Fellow:
Dr. Curt DeBerg
California State University, Chico
College of Business
Chico, CA 95929-0011
530-898-4824
cdeberg@csuchico.edu