Youth Ambassadors
- Debate: is financial literacy important?

Classrooms:
- Generations Interview: Why is Financial Literacy Important
-Real Moments Photo Contest (Collage)

The Youth Ambassadors will visit a local market in Paucartambo.  They will purchase as many different species of Potato as they can find.  They will compare this to the number of potatoes found in a market in North America. (maybe ask school kids to do this before coming? Or George can do sample in Vancouver & Ewan in Yellowknife before heading out) They will then calculate the probability of loss of a food source from potato related illness in location with greater biodiversity vs location with less biodiversity. They will then discuss what occurred during the Great Potato Famine in Ireland (1845-52) They will then extrapolate their finding to the impact of biodiversity on provisioning services and ecosystem services in general.

Financial Literacy:

• Discuss difference between a want and a need and what a person values.
• Prioritize the following with rational: Oxygen, Water, Trees/Plants, Mosquitos, Potatoes, Gold
• Value Auction Activity.
• Discuss: What influences how you will value something? How does this relate to North America versus other parts of the world? Discuss how personal financial decisions are influenced by a person’s interpretation of needs and wants and what they value?

Digigone Satellite Call with Students

10:00 am Central

The Youth Ambassadors will locate a Cinchona tree.  They will collect bark from the tree and boil it (see below).  This will release the quinine from the bark.

While they are doing this they will discuss what Ecosystem Services the Cinchona Tree provides and estimate its value to mankind. The value will consider the history of malaria and the developments of treatment for it.

They will consider the loss of biodiversity and ecosystems with respect to the provision of pharmaceuticals.  

How to set a S.M.A.R.T. Goal (related to the YA running challenge). Same steps are important and used when setting financial goals. Can be done any time.

Digigone Satellite Call with Students

10:30 am Central

Locate a Coca Tree and harvest a few leaves.  Establish what ecosystem services these leaves provide in the domains of:

• Provisioning services:  What products are produced with these leaves
• Regulating services: Do these leaves help regulate ecosystem processes
• Cultural services: Do these leaves benefit people through spiritual enrichment, cognitive development, reflection, recreation, and aesthetic experiences?

Consider the monetary value of these leaves.  Does this value reflect the value of the ecosystem services they provide? Consider impact of this very valuable commodity on human health & wellbeing

note: the United State spends $40 billion annually on drug control. Factor in the health and other social costs and cocaine is an expensive habit.

Digigone Satellite Call with Students

1:00 pm Central

Check oxygen saturation. Do this every day through expedition. Do experiment with oxygen saturation and sense of well being. Consider oxygen cycle and how ecosystems provision this resource. Discuss value of oxygen and compare to ecologic value of oxygen. Establish why oxygen has no monetary value despite being so essential

Digigone Satellite Call with Students

10:30 am Central

Re-prioritize Day 1 items. Discuss how choices changed in light of what they learned.

Find a mahogany tree. Look at the broad scope of ecosystem services this tree is involved in. juxtapose the relative value of the mahogany tree as a Regulating service vs a Provisioning service

Resiliency Reflection related to physical challenge and overcoming obstacles

Catch Mosquitos in mosquito traps. Establish what ecosystem services they provide. Consider the impact of eradicating mosquitos from the planet. Compare the negative valuation of the mosquito to the value of their ecosystem services.

Digigone Satellite Call with Students

10:00 am Central

Visit gold mine. Consider value of gold to mankind as standard of money. Compare this value to ecosystem service provided by gold and impact of gold extraction on ecosystem services

Digigone Satellite Call with Students

10:30 am Central