MOUNT VERNON — Economics can be a complicated course of study, with concepts such as scarcity, marketing, competition and economic risk thrown into the mix. To supplement textbook information, gifted third-, fourth- and fifth-graders from Mount Vernon elementary schools recently visited a number of local businesses to gain firsthand knowledge of various concepts the pupils are expected to know in the Ohio Social Studies Academic Content Standards.

Each business representative talked with the students about their particular enterprise, then fielded questions from the pupils. Questions ranged from “What is your greatest cost of doing business?” to “What economic risks are involved in your business?” to “How does a change in the overall economy affect your business?”

After the visits, the students summarized what they learned, then worked together in the subsequent Challenge seminar to compile and graph the data.

Mark Bohland, gifted intervention specialist, said one goal of the activity is to help prepare students for the 21st century. He said the project combined shoe leather — as in going to the businesses and conducting first-person interviews — with technology — learning how to best graphically organize the resultant data.

Bohland said the students in that way became producers of knowledge about the local business scene and can “share their research with the world.”

Businesses which hosted students for the economics project included First-Knox National Bank, Paragraphs Bookstore, Speedway, Herald’s Appliances, Kahrl & Co. Insurance, KidsShelf, AAA —Ohio Auto Club, High Restaurant, Bodi N Balance, Sips Coffee House, The Pink Cupcake, The Woolson Co., Foster’s Pharmacy and William’s Flowers.