VEI students are expected to “become the teacher” the moment they step foot into theclassroom-turned-office. Each student serves as a full-time employee of a nationally-operating virtual business, becoming active learners instead of passive listeners. They’re in charge of completing daily tasks, managing long-term projects, and evaluating the success of their business decisions. Ms. Katy Andersen, on the other hand, a new VEI coordinator at East Bakersfield High School, is an example of a VEI student who has come full circle and quite literally become the teacher.
Ms. Andersen was part of the first Virtual Enterprises class at North High School in Bakersfield California back in 1999. She served in the Human Resources department, and her role was to develop various company policies and procedures. Ms. Andersen expressed her gratitude for being part of this inaugural class, “I feel very blessed that Virtual Enterprise was part of my high school. I met my husband in Virtual Enterprise and we are still friends with some members of the class.” After high school, Ms. Andersen earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Organizational Management, then worked as an administrator for a large mortgage company and as a credit manager with a financial company.
“After starting a family, I knew I wanted to become a teacher. I always loved my time in Virtual Enterprise and felt that I learned the most from the practical experience that Virtual Enterprise had to offer,” Ms. Andersen reflected.
Ms. Andersen was recently hired by East Bakersfield High School, home of a thriving VEI program. “As a Virtual Enterprise teacher, I hope to open up my students’ eyes to all the possibilities that business has to offer,” she said. In her current position, Ms. Andersen is poised to provide her students with the same kind of eye-opening transformation she experienced 15 years ago.