Kelly O’Donnell and Bharat Madan were both seniors at Point Loma High School in San Diego when they began the IES in December 2008. Their teacher took their class through the full IES curriculum, held a mini summit on the PLHS campus, and brought a number of teams to the Regional Summit in San Diego in May 2009. After graduating from PLHS, Kelly and Bharat both returned to the IES to serve as volunteer Scorekeepers at the Regional Summit in Los Angeles in December 2009.

Tell us about your experience with IES:
The IES experience was amazing. It woke me up to the world of global trading and allowed me to think globally. Not only did I wonder about my town, state, and country, but I wanted to know how every country worked.

Kelly O’Donnell

What did you think as you were... ...starting the project?
Here we go, another school project.

...about halfway through the project?
I was excited! I could not stop thinking about GDP, quality of life, and trade exports. The Economist became one of my favorite magazines and I found myself waiting for my International Trade and Economics class to begin.

...participating in the Summit event?
the beginning of [both the mini summit and the Regional], but those feelings subsided as the competition got the best of me. By the end of the Regional Summit in San Diego, I felt like I was ready for the G20.

What are you doing these days?
I am currently at a local community college, saving money and getting all of my general education classes out of my way.

What are your plans for the next 2-3 years?
Hopefully, I will be transferring to UC Berkeley in the next two years as an economics major.

What are your long-term goals?
I would like to get my bachelors in economics, followed by a doctorate in international economics. Eventually I would like to be a professor of the subject at a top university.

Did the IES play any role in the development of these goals?
Definitely. The program helped me discover my interest for global affairs as a whole, as well as how they related economically. (Also, my experience at the Regional helped me realize that.) I had the confidence to speak in front of large groups of people and answer questions as I would need to do as a professor.

Do you have any advice to teachers implementing the IES in their classrooms?
It is all about making the material relatable. The interesting thing about economics and international trade is that it affects everyone’s daily lives, from gas prices to literacy rates [and are our] signs of what is going on the world around us.

Any advice to students currently working on the IES project?
The IES project was one of the greatest experiences of my high school career, and may end up being the same for you. Make the most of it!

Tell us about your experience with IES
When starting the project, I felt a sense of revolt towards all the work and information I was dealing with, but halfway through the project I started to get into the Player’s Guide and how it was relevant to everyday international economics. After participating in the Regional Summit, I was completely absorbed by the competition [and recognized it] as a great educational experience. As soon as I got on the bus to return home after the Regional, I realized something great was over. It was an experience that allowed me and my class to learn information outside of a textbook.

Bharat Madan volunteering as a Scorekeeper at the USC 2009 Regional SummitWhat are you doing these days?
I am a freshman at San Diego State University, planning to major in accounting. What are your plans for the next 2-3 years? I’d like to continue with college, and possibly do a study abroad program.

What are your long term goals?
Graduate college in 4 years and then continue on to get a MBA and become a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

Did the IES play any role in the development of these goals?
IES has definitely changed some goals in my life, and it may sculpt my future, as I rethink my major and consider international business or economics.

Do you have any advice to teachers implementing the IES in their classrooms?
My advice to current teachers is to just stay with it through the end. You truly cannot judge the program until you have finished the entire process and experienced the Summit.

Any advice to students currently working on the IES project?
To students I would say, “Stick with it!” At times it may seem pointless, but in the end it really is all worth it.

Any other final thoughts?
I really liked how IES combined economic content and real world skills like public speaking and peer interaction. I feel like I took away more from IES than I realize.