In a world of increasing complexity, preparing students for success requires more than meeting minimum academic standards. It demands cultivating critical thinking, ethical decision-making, and an entrepreneurial spirit. A shining example of this commitment is the collaboration between Heritage Academy and the University of Arizona’s Freedom Center: a dual enrollment course that fuses economics, ethics, and entrepreneurship into a transformative educational experience. This program empowers students to see economics not merely as a technical subject, but as a vital key to understanding human flourishing, responsible leadership, and societal well-being.
Meet Kerry Montaño: Champion for Economic Literacy
On a recent episode of the American Classroom Podcast, we had the privilege of speaking with Kerry Montaño, Special Programs Manager at the Freedom Center. A seasoned educator and former high school economics teacher, Kerry has been pivotal in shaping this program. Drawing from her extensive classroom experience and curriculum development expertise, she ensures the course is both intellectually rigorous and deeply accessible. Kerry’s leadership reflects a profound belief: that students, when given the right tools, can meaningfully engage with the biggest questions of society, business, and morality — and that doing so prepares them to lead with wisdom and integrity. To learn more about Kerry’s work and philosophy, visit her Freedom Center Profile.
A Unique Dual Enrollment Opportunity
Through this partnership, high school students can simultaneously earn college and high school credit, stepping confidently into higher education and beyond. The Advanced Economics for High School Students course offers a challenging yet approachable introduction to economic thinking, seamlessly connecting theory with real-world application.
Students are invited to grapple with foundational questions:
- What makes a society flourish?
- Is profit inherently moral?
- How do ethics and entrepreneurship drive human progress?
Unlike traditional dual enrollment programs that merely accelerate coursework, this experience aims to transform the student’s worldview. By connecting economics to personal responsibility, leadership, and ethical decision-making, the course plants seeds that will bear fruit long after students leave the classroom. It is particularly well-suited for those preparing for university study in business, law, political science, and public service, but its broader lessons apply across every career path.
The Textbook: Commercial Society
At the heart of the course lies Commercial Society: A Primer on Ethics and Economics, authored by University of Arizona professors David Schmidtz, Cathleen Johnson, and Robert Lusch. Originally developed for an online curriculum, feedback from educators inspired a printed edition enriched with QR codes linking to supplemental videos, podcasts, and contemporary examples — making learning dynamic, interactive, and connected to the modern world.
Key Features of the Textbook:
- Short, Accessible Chapters: Two to four pages each, designed for deep but manageable engagement.
- Integrated QR Codes: Seamlessly connect students to additional media for expanded exploration.
- Real-World Scenarios: Apply economic principles to contemporary issues and personal experiences.
- Ethical Emphasis: Encourage critical reflection on morality, trust, and long-term thinking.
- High School Friendly: Advanced ideas made digestible without sacrificing depth.
Teachers have praised the book for its rare ability to stimulate both rigorous thought and meaningful discussion — a combination that is critical for students learning to balance analysis with judgment.
A Curriculum That Challenges and Inspires
Unlike traditional high school economics classes that often skim surface-level definitions, this course invites students to wrestle with profound ideas: self-interest, societal trust, and the moral consequences of market behavior. Through concise, powerful readings, students move beyond theory, examining how economics shapes — and is shaped by — human character.
The dual enrollment structure offers a tangible advantage: students finish not only with college credits but with sharpened analytical skills, ethical awareness, and the confidence to thrive in higher education and society. By the end of the course, students do not simply “know more” — they think differently. They are prepared to ask deeper questions, challenge assumptions, and connect their ambitions to a broader understanding of social good.
Building Ethical Entrepreneurs: Practical Applications
One of the course’s distinguishing marks is its focus on ethical entrepreneurship.
Students engage with real-world dilemmas such as:
- Is making a profit morally defensible?
- What ethical obligations do businesses have to the communities they serve?
These questions foster not just critical thinking but a vision of business as a force for good. In classroom projects — such as Shark Tank-style competitions — students propose ventures that prioritize ethical impact as much as profitability. Kerry Montaño notes that many students naturally gravitate toward ideas aimed at solving real-world problems: from healthier food products to drone-based services for underserved areas.
The result? Young entrepreneurs who understand that ethical decision-making is not an afterthought — it is central to meaningful innovation. Class discussions often spark ideas that students pursue beyond the course, laying the groundwork for future start-ups, social enterprises, and public service initiatives.
Supporting Educators: Training for Lasting Impact
The Freedom Center recognizes that outstanding programs require outstanding teachers. Through the “Ethical Entrepreneur” professional development program, instructors are trained not only in course content but in dynamic, discussion-based pedagogy. Teachers leave the training energized, equipped with strategies to connect theory to contemporary events, foster vibrant classroom discussions, and nurture critical thinking.
Professional development workshops emphasize Socratic questioning, real-world case studies, and a collaborative spirit. Heritage Academy educators consistently report that this preparation reinvigorates their teaching practice, creating classrooms where ideas flourish and students find their voice.
Transformative Outcomes: Beyond the Classroom
The impact is profound. Across Heritage Academy campuses, students report that economics finally “makes sense” — not as abstract theory, but as a living, breathing part of their daily choices and future ambitions.
From aspiring welders planning to open their own shops to tech innovators entering Web 3.0, students leave this course with more than academic credit: they leave with vision, purpose, and the conviction that their work can serve a greater good.
Many alumni credit this course with helping them frame their college applications, define their career paths, and even spark entrepreneurial ventures during their senior year.
The ultimate goal is not simply producing successful students, but nurturing future leaders — individuals prepared to balance ambition with ethics, and success with service.
Learn More
To explore more about the people, programs, and resources mentioned:
- Kerry Montaño’s Freedom Center Profile: https://freedomcenter.arizona.edu/team/kerry-montano-2/
- Freedom Center High School Programs: https://freedomcenter.arizona.edu/impact/students/k-12/high-school-program/
- Commercial Society: A Primer on Ethics and Economics Website: https://commercialsociety.net/index.html
- Contact Kerry Montaño: kdmontan@arizona.edu