View the GTA 2011 Annual Report.

Game Theory Academy would also like to thank the dozens of community organizations that hosted GTA, referred youth to our classes or otherwise encouraged our work, including: Alameda County Community Asset Network * Alameda County Healthcare Services Agency * Alameda County Department of Probation * At the Crossroads * Brighter Beginnings * California Youth Connection * Casey Family Programs * Catholic Charities of the East Bay * Center for Young Women’s Development *  College Track * Conscious Youth Media Crew * Beyond Emancipation * First Place for Youth * Larkin Street * McClymmonds High School / Alternatives in Action * Met West High School * New America Media * Spark * McCullum Youth Court * Project WHAT! * Vincent Academy * Youth Bridge * Youth Radio

Download the application and full job description here: DownloadWOWapplication

* Receive business and on-farm training.
* Work with a team to produce food products for sale to Oakland restaurants.
* Participate in strategic business planning and provide input on the marketing, operations and financial plan of the business.
* Build and maintain relationships with restaurant partners and customers.
* Write, take photographs and make videos for the farm blog.
* Have access to field trips, nutrition training and guest speakers outside of work hours.
* Some farm tasks include: composting, building healthy soil, planting and harvesting.

If you would like a copy of the application emailed or mailed to you, contact Patricia Johnson: trish@gametheoryacademy.org or (510)992-3266.

“Before you start to dance and before you start to rave, just remember that to spend, you got to learn to save.”

Very clever, winners!

I think the Occupy protestors have a legit reason, but are going about it in the wrong manner. The thing is that they don’t feel equal to the rich and the banks. But camping out in the public is starting to affect the community. People should be able to do what they want if it doesn’t hurt anyone or is against the law. But the protesting is starting to hurt people and it’s against the law to sleep out there, so if they went about it in a different way I’m sure they would get a better outcome. -Joel’le, Age 16

The Occupy Oakland movement has truly gained the attention they wanted. I believe if they want to continue their success they should all write up a bill to pass that would help cater to their needs and wants. I do think if the move their camp to a new area they will become more of an nuisance to the community and lose a big group of their supporters. I think now that they have a big spotlight they should speak up more on what they want to change. The Occupy Movement should change their strategy to involve more peaceful marches and collaborate with other movements. -Cameron, Age 22

I think the Occupy people should start a new strategy because even though their strategy of getting attention from people and the media is working for now, can they keep doing this? How long will it take for them to get to their goal? They more time they are wasting, the more opportunities they are losing. People need to figure out a new strategy. A leader would be a good start. Someone to hear what people have to say and break it down and share it with the people. -Tet, Age 17

If the Occupy Oakland movement decided to have monthly marches, instead of camping out, they would have a stronger voice. -J, Age 20

I believe that Occupy Oakland has lost its purpose and that the quality of people at Occupy Oakland has decreased over the duration of the Occupation. However, while their strategy may be at the endline of the law of diminishing returns, it is still yielding benefits, albeit smaller and smaller ones. Occupy Oakland should end, but the people should stay together and continue working for this cause, but find different strategies that will be more effective. If 10,000 people took the bus at once, to protest at one place, the havoc and strain on public transit would make people, as well as the government, take action. -Alejandro, Age 20

]]> http://gametheoryacademy.org/2011/10/17/the-best-self-interest-cloud/feed/ 0 trishgta Best Self-Interest Goals Cloud http://gametheoryacademy.org/2011/09/20/willing-to-play-willing-to-pay/ http://gametheoryacademy.org/2011/09/20/willing-to-play-willing-to-pay/#comments Tue, 20 Sep 2011 22:22:54 +0000 Trish http://gametheoryacademy.org/?p=437 ]]> You may be shocked to learn what GTA students are willing to pay for the teacher’s wallet. This game jumpstarts important conversations about how we decide to spend our money – and who is willing to take risks in an unfair market.

Filmed at Met West High School by Julia Landau and Min Lee. Produced by Min Lee.

Game Theory Academy (GTA) was a great opportunity for me to learn how to make choices that help me managing money. I was able to understand how to save money by not wasting it on unnecessary items. For example, some people buy new phones every month instead of keeping the same phone and saving the money for more necessary materials. In addition, I learned that it’s better to stay within your budget and not waste more money then you really have. For example, when you have a budget of $20 and what you want to buy is over your budget it will not benefit you to buy it because it exceeds your budget.

I go to Light House Community School. My goal in life is to go to college and become a businessman. My short-term goal is to get scholarships and save money for when I go to the college of my choice. Currently in school I am taking advanced classes.

The stipend I earned at GTA helped me over the summer because I was not able to find a job. I chose to wait until the last day of class to get paid so I wouldn’t end up spending all the money on little things like snacks that aren’t necessary. Today we got paid. I’m gonna save the money for something more important that I might need in the future. The most important thing I need to save for is college. Usually I just come by money in little bits, so it takes a long time to save up. GTA was cool for me because I got paid a $150 at once for the first time, so I’m motivated to save it.

I’m a senior at Skyline High School. Most of my life has been about learning how to go from point A to point B, responding to situations constantly happening in life. Being in Game Theory Academy has helped me make better decisions, whether it’s choosing what route to take home, to making lifetime choices that will affect my future.

Arriving the first day of class, I had no idea what to expect. I figured we would have a large class setting, look at charts, do math work and sit through boring lectures. Turned out the class was small, making it easier to learn and get to know my peers. We learned about scarcity, the difference between socialism and capitalism, how entrepreneurs make decisions, and Adam Smith. We specifically focused on the three assumptions of Adam Smith’s economic theory: 1.) Everyone acts in their best self-interest all the time; 2.) Everyone has equal access to perfect information; 3.) Economic interests drives everything. What really stuck to me was assumption number one, that the economy will be efficient if everyone acts in their best self-interest. I never had anyone say that to me before. I hear all the time from teachers that we have sources all around us to educate ourselves, and I somewhat knew that money drives people’s decisions. That’s common sense. As we learned more about best self-interest and used it to relate to our lives, I realized that Adam Smith’s first assumption would carry through the rest of my life.

Everyday now, no matter what it is or what I’m doing, I constantly ask myself if what I am doing is in my best self-interest. It’s involuntary now; it just happens like some kind of secondary voice going off in my head. From the morning when I wake up, “Is skipping breakfast within your best self-interest, Ryan?” to when I want to leave the house, “Is it within your best self-interest to walk to the Bart station or get a ride from Mom or Dad?” Deciding lunch, “Is it your best self-interest to spend $5 on junk food or to use that money to by a fulfilling meal?” It even happens while I get ready for bed, “Is spending time on Facebook your best self-interest or is going to sleep early so you can be energized for work the next day is?” With all these questions, there’s an answer and a decision that I have to make. No matter what, that question is constantly going on, even as I write this. That one question is what’s helping me and the people around me become better people. I joke around with my friends when they make impetuous decisions and I ask them, “Do you think that’s within your best self-interest? What are the benefits and costs of making that decision?” They look at me as if I’m crazy.

The more time passes, the more I refer to these things I learned at Game Theory Academy, such as what would be the trade off of going to play tennis this weekend?  I would be giving up time to do other things, but some benefits would be bettering my health and getting time to socialize with friends. The advantages outweigh the disadvantages so why not go play? It’s completely within my best self-interest to do so.

I use every last bit of the information I was taught at this class in my daily life. Yes, a financial incentive drove my decision to join. Yes, this information was equally accessible. And yes, taking this class was definitely, forever will be, and have been, within my best self-interest!