A little credit returns big dividends for kids

Friday, May 30, 1997 | 11:44 a.m.

This is one bulldog whose bark is nice and friendly -- and it has no bite.

The "Bulldog Bark" is the name of a newspaper established with a loan from the Silver State School Federal Credit Union. However, it took only two issues to earn enough money to pay back the loan, and the newspaper has been in a profit mode ever since.

Maybe that's because the Bulldog Bark staff did its homework by drawing up a business plan, cost analysis and market survey to gauge potential readers' interests.

So, what's remarkable about that? It's just plain, ol' business sense, right?

There's more to it, according to Dr. Patti Chance, who teaches students in the gifted and talented program at Ruth Fyfe Elementary School.

Chance and her fifth-grade G.A.T.E. students created the Bulldog Bark.

The students applied to the credit union for a $25 loan, which they agreed to pay off in four installments. However, with a bit of creative hustle, the students paid it back in two, and have a $47 profit.

Mary Jurgens, credit union manager of the Lake Mead branch, said Chance asked her to talk to the students about applying for a loan. She asked them to put together a portfolio and -- most important -- determine how they would repay it.

"We put them through the normal loan process," Ann Dreshler, vice president of delivery systems for the credit union, said.

Although the credit union is very active in educational programs, this was the first time it was involved in a school loan.

Dreshler said the credit union has an educational branch at Green Valley High School. Students take a class, which includes working in the credit union on campus. They serve teachers and students like a normal branch, she said.

The credit union, through the Clark County School District's Focus School program, has adopted Rex Bell Elementary School. It also offers internships through Las Vegas High School in which students work one day a week in the credit union. Several have been hired after graduation as tellers.

Dreshler says they also participate in the district's mentoring program for new teachers, the Payback Program (employees speak to students about the benefits of staying in school) and employees read to children in various schools.

In keeping with its educational commitment, the credit union returned the repaid loan to Ruth Fyfe as a donation.

Chance's students write their own stories and lay out the newspaper on computers in the classroom.

Two of the most popular features are the "secret word" and the "ads" which consist of holiday and birthday messages. Each message costs 25 cents.

The editor is Audrey Hansen; reporters are Heaven Bonner, Kaydrea Boswell, Katherine Brown, Jana Gordon-Pylant, Cody Shadle and Kyle Zinovitch. Advertising manager is Kimball Wilson. Entertainment page manager is Stevie Jacobson.

Chance says she would like to continue the newspaper project next year and possibly expand it.

The students have a lot of ideas about what to add -- entertainment and movies, comics and sports.

Chance sees the project as a practical way to teach the students about running a business -- they can't spend more than their projected revenues -- and to improve their communication skills.