Chapter 1.  Introductions

“The house we hope to build is not for my generation but for yours.  It is your future that matters.  And I hope that when you are my age, you will be able to say as I have been able to say:  We lived in freedom.  We lived lives that were a statement, not an apology.” 

-- Ronald Reagan, Fortieth President of the United States

For Students

For Adults

For Students

Welcome.  Perhaps the most profound project of your young life is about to begin.  You will have the opportunity to do what few students have done, namely, to be a staff member who helps create and operate a local currency, a social venture*, through which you help your community and earn college money at the same time.

This textbook is about creating and operating a local currency, that is, printing and distributing money, so that life improve for everyone educationally, environmentally,  economically, and health-wise.  The local currency is meant to enable people who labor, learn or live in a community to learn and practice self-reliance, selflessness, and sustainable solutions.  

We believe that, by using this textbook, you and your fellow staff members might make a profound impact in your community and beyond, so much so that you might leave a proud legacy and make praiseworthy history.

            Staff members who make significant and practical suggestions which are added to this textbook will be

recognized on the last page as voluntary contributors. 

* A social venture is a business whose primary purpose is to benefit a community.

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For Adults

            There is a belief that youth have potential which most of us adults are not tapping, and because we 

are not tapping that potential, we are holding them and our communities back.  (As for those who are 

tapping the potential, see www.csuchico.edu/sage, www.dosomething.org, www.youthventure.org, 

and google “Interact clubs”, “Leo clubs”, and “Key clubs” for examples.)

            But that is not to say that the situation is hopeless.  It does not take much to tell youth that we 

want them to assume adult roles for which they have the ability and, thereby, help themselves and our 

communities.

            The keys to tapping the potential of youth are

Ø    to trust them enough to permit them to take on roles of relevance to our communities;

Ø    to interact seriously with them, so that they realize that the “bar has been raised” and they begin 

acting responsibly;  and

Ø    to let them learn by doing, as when we let them propose and dispose.

            Creating and operating a local currency is a social venture* which enables us adults to tap the

potential, to trust and interact seriously with youth in our communities, and to better prepare them to 

become community leaders.  Our communities face large challenges from globalization, global 

warming, and other ailments of modern society.  Youth are like a peacetime army in reserve;  we 

should not hesitate to let them be all that they could be.

            A goal of the local currency is to encourage youth to become self-reliant, selfless, and seekers of 

sustainable solutions.  The more these traits are inculcated into our youth, the brighter the future 

would look for our communities.

            There is good reason for optimism.

* A social venture is a business whose primary purpose is to benefit a community.

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