Student Contributor -A. LaFrance
The Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce is a local organization dedicated to helping the prosperity of Spokane. The group represents, organizes and serves 
businesses to help the economy grow. Essentially, the organization unifies the business community in Spokane for economic prosperity.
This organization is a non-profit that helps people and businesses either start up or get extra support. One way they help is through a scholarship awarded annually to local high school students who are going to a trade school, or into a business degree. With this scholarship, the organization is giving students beginning supports to create local business that will stay local. Additionally, the organization supplies other supports for businesses including free parking, office space, utilities, conference rooms, a fax machine, etc. Everything listed is something essential to start up a business but are sometimes overlooked. Without these items, a business could sink. The Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce is working to ensure local businesses can be successful so the economy can prosper, and as a result, Spokane is successful.
Teachers could utilize this program to help students explore economics, and how to properly hand money (save, spend, share). For example, through partnering with the Spokane Valley Chamber of Commerce, students could create their own lemonade stand, raise money, and then go through the steps of saving spending and sharing. The money from the lemonade stand can be donated to a local charity to make a difference in the community.
