Young Economists Launched with Energy and Insight at Glen Abbey
The first session of Young Economists, a featured project launched by two high schoool students for youth, kicked off this week at the Glen Abbey Community Center — and the room was buzzing with curiosity from the moment students arrived.
Michael and Mingming shared the insights on learning Economics as senior peers.
The mentors, Michael Yang and Mingming Yu, guide the class through the big question: How do people make choices when resources are limited? Students explored the four factors of production and the difference between goods and services through quick discussions and hands‑on activities. The atmosphere felt more like a lively workshop than a traditional class.
Two mentors designed the poster for this activity
The highlight of the day was the Company Challenge, where small groups analyzed real companies — Starbucks, Amazon, KFC, and Apple — and presented how each business uses land, labor, capital, and entrepreneurship. Their presentations were sharp, confident, and surprisingly insightful for middle‑school learners. You’ll see some of these moments captured in the short video.
Young Economists is designed to help students think, choose, and understand the world around them. Next week, the class will dive into Utility Maximization and Opportunity Cost — two ideas that shape almost every decision we make.
This program is off to a strong start, and we can’t wait to see how these young thinkers grow over the coming weeks.
What VLA did for this project?
VLA is a youth‑centered, family‑supported nonprofit community based in Toronto. It works like a platform for the youth. That makes VLA special. Youth are not just participants — they are leaders. They design coureses, conduct social research, publish reports, and collaborate with global organizations. VLA created a space where families learn together, support each other, and build a community where curiosity and creativity thrive.
To all the teens —
Young Economists is a very good example of what youth can create. You don’t need to wait for permission to start something meaningful. If you have an idea — whether it’s a research topic, a community event, a video project, or a report — you can begin today.
At VLA, we believe your voice matters. Your ideas matter. And your projects can inspire others. So I encourage you: Start something. Try something. Build something. You will be surprised by how far your curiosity can take you!
