Washington Business Week is not a state-funded program. It runs on private contributions and people power.
Washington Business Week was founded at the Association of Washington Business in 1975. AWB continues to be the Founding Sponsor and AWB members are significant financial program underwriters. AWB members are heavily involved as company advisers, speakers and judges.
The traditional summer program is in full-swing in Washington, Poland and Alaska. In Washington alone, over the past 37 years nearly 50,000 students and teachers have graduated.
Over the years, teachers have become integrated as advisers for the program. The combination of classroom teachers working with business leaders has helped make Washignton Business Week a strong program.
For example, Don T. Brunell is a high school teacher in a Houston suburb. He teachers government at Klein Forest High School. For the past five years, he has been part of the Gonzaga team.
For the next two years, he teams with Katharine Macy, a Longview Fibre Co. executive from Longview. to be chairs of the week at Gonzaga. Last year she was a clinic adviser in the Health Care pathway.
The chairs of the week work with Tracey Turcotte, Washington Business Week program director, to lead and manage the Gonzaga Business Week and Health Care Week programs.
Over the years, integrating business leaders and teacher as the adult leaders of the program has paid dividends. Teachers learn about what makes the business world tick and teachers help business leaders work with high school students. It is proving to be a great combination.
