WESTERN WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY, BELLINGHAM, WA :: Kristie says, "I spent a week up in Bellingham on the Western Washington University campus as a Washington Business Week Camp Company Advisor with 300 high school students and 28 other Advisors. Each Advisor is assigned a group of 10 students, which make up a company. Throughout the week, these 29 companies compete with each other through a computer business simulation, stockholder presentations, and a trade show that highlights both their product and the performance of the company and its management. Not only do the students learn valuable business and leadership skills, but they have the opportunity to meet new friends and business connections."

"Business leaders in the community spoke on topics such as entrepreneurship, individual fiscal responsibility & identity theft, ethics and corporate crime, leadership, and marketing & advertising. Students loved hearing the innovative and non-traditional ideas expressed by Peter Van Stolk, Owner of Jones Soda. Mike Egan of the Microsoft Corporation was a favorite of many students. Any time students get to act on stage and be involved in the speaker’s presentation, particularly when the topic is busting criminals, students are bound to get excited. So it was no surprise that the presentation by Ryan Thompson, Special Agent IRS-CID, had captured their attention."

"After completing my fifth year of Business Week, I'm looking forward to working with students again next summer in the Advanced Business Week program."