- link Copy URL - [ Share on X ](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=These Middle Schoolers Built a Mini Economy Inspired by Ancient Rome https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1312576?absolute=1&via=3blnews "Share on X") - [ Share on linkedin ](https://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1312576?absolute=1 "Share on Linkedin") - [ Share on facebook ](https://www.facebook.com/sharer/sharer.php?u=https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1312576?absolute=1 "Share on Facebook") - [ email Share via email ](mailto:?subject=These Middle Schoolers Built a Mini Economy Inspired by Ancient Rome&body=ESG News from Verizon https://www.3blmedia.com/markdownify/node/1312576?absolute=1 "Share via email") [Education](/CSR-News/education) # These Middle Schoolers Built a Mini Economy Inspired by Ancient Rome ##### Inside the St. Louis classroom where students design businesses and tech-powered prototypes. Apr 23, 2026 2:10 PM ET *Students in Lani Reeder’s class proudly show off their VR farm environment.* [Verizon](https://www.verizon.com/about/news/feed/middle-schoolers-mini-economy-ancient-rome) Lani Reeder’s students were working on an entrepreneurial lesson about marketplaces in ancient Rome when they had a bolt of inspiration. “The kids started asking questions: Do we still do this today, in modern times? Why can’t we make our own marketplace with our own goods and have our own system?” says Reeder, a Verizon Innovative Learning Schools Coach and Lab Mentor at Long International Middle School in St. Louis, Missouri. She said yes and watched them run with it. Working inside the school’s Verizon Innovative Learning Lab, the students wrote business plans, prototyped products, created branding and even built their own currency — using emerging technology as their toolkit. Reeder sourced the original lesson plan on [Verizon Innovative Learning HQ](https://www.verizon.com/learning?cid=gyrate0271 "Visit the Verizon Innovative Learning HQ"), which is “a hub of lessons and projects that you can choose from. You can use a little bit of it. You can use the whole thing. You can use it as a jumping-off point,” she explains. Many students chose to create projects that would make life better for others. Eighth-grader Oghuz Erkin launched Grow, a concept bringing fresh fruit and vegetables from farmers directly into communities. Along with classmate Kenny Nguyen, the pair built a QR code-accessible, VR farm environment and designed a branded logo. “Using VR is very realistic and interesting. I’ve had a lot of fun doing this,” says Erkin. Classmates Dawan Womack and Daniel Gadafi focused on disaster relief, engineering a delivery vehicle to transport essential supplies to people in need, such as those affected by a natural catastrophe. The device, built with pocket-size computers, could be controlled via tablet and programmed to return on its own. “\[The computer\] sends us the message that it is doing the task,” Womack explains. “And once it does that, \[the device\] will come right back to us using the same code that we use for delivering the items.” Projects like these strengthen multiple skill sets at once — not just tech literacy but collaboration, problem-solving, communication and motivation — all of which contribute to students’ future endeavors and show them what they need “to be successful and college ready,” Reeder explains. “I think these engaging lessons are impacting their attendance. They want to come to school. They’re actively learning. They are learning how to communicate with one another. Their critical thinking—I see it blossom every day." > “I think these engaging lessons are impacting their attendance. They want to come to school. Their critical thinking — I see it blossom every day.” > Lani Reeder [*Verizon Innovative Learning*](https://www.verizon.com/about/responsibility/digital-inclusion/verizon-innovative-learning "Learn more about Verizon Innovative Learning") *is a key part of the company’s responsible business plan to help move the world forward for all. As part of the plan, Verizon has an ambitious goal of providing 10 million youth with digital skills training by 2030. Educators can access free lessons, professional development, and immersive learning experiences to help bring new ways of learning into the classroom by visiting* [*Verizon Innovative Learning HQ*](https://www.verizon.com/learning?cid=gyrate0271 "Visit the Verizon Innovative Learning HQ")*.* [![Verizon logo](/sites/default/files/2024-06/Verizon-Logo.png)](/profiles/verizon) ### More from Verizon ###### [What Teens Told Researchers About AI for Homework—and How Parents Can Help](/news/what-teens-told-researchers-about-ai-homework-and-how-parents-can-help) Apr 20, 2026 9:05 AM ET ###### [How To Raise a Connected Kid (Without Raising a Screen Kid)](/news/how-raise-connected-kid-without-raising-screen-kid) Apr 16, 2026 12:15 PM ET ###### [AI Deepfakes and Your Kid’s Digital Footprint: What Parents Should Know](/news/ai-deepfakes-and-your-kids-digital-footprint-what-parents-should-know) Dec 16, 2025 2:20 PM ET ###### [Healthy Marketing Choices Grow a Nutritionist’s Business](/news/healthy-marketing-choices-grow-nutritionists-business) Nov 10, 2025 2:00 PM ET ###### [Free Virtual Conference for Educators on Election Day To Explore AI and the Future of Learning](/news/free-virtual-conference-educators-election-day-explore-ai-and-future-learning) Oct 28, 2025 10:30 AM ET ###### [Diverse Learners Find Independence and Confidence in Technology](/news/diverse-learners-find-independence-and-confidence-technology) Oct 9, 2025 9:15 AM ET ###### [Verizon and ForgiveCo Announce Additional $5 Million in Debt Relief for North Carolinians Recovering From Hurricane Helene](/news/verizon-and-forgiveco-announce-additional-5-million-debt-relief-north-carolinians-recovering) Oct 7, 2025 11:45 AM ET ###### [Tailoring a Strong Future With a New Digital Marketing Vision](/news/tailoring-strong-future-new-digital-marketing-vision) Oct 6, 2025 2:35 PM ET