DATE: Tuesday, September 23, 1997           TAG: 9709230206

SECTION: BUSINESS                PAGE: D1   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY DENISE WATSON, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   72 lines

STUDENTS SCHOOLED IN THE BOTTOM LINE 100 VOLUNTEER ACCOUNTANTS OFFER REAL-LIFE LESSONS ABOUT THE VALUE OF COMPUTERS, BALANCED BUDGETS AND EDUCATION.

Sixteen-year-old Antwoine Whitaker learned at least one thing from the accountant who volunteered at Lake Taylor High School Monday - you can't afford a Benz on a $700-a-month salary.

Using a computer spreadsheet, he learned instantly that his imaginary Nautica wardrobe would have to go for child care. The $100 monthly entertainment budget was reduced to a measly $25 to keep food in the fridge.

But the 100 volunteers who hit two Norfolk schools had real lessons for students: computers can make life easier; budgeting is necessary to avoid disaster; the more education you have, the more money you might have to work with.

They aren't new ideas, but they were brought to life by employees from the KPMG Hampton Roads Peat Marwick accounting firm who took the day off to volunteer at Lake Taylor High and Middle schools.

``He's letting me know things I didn't know before, like how to pay taxes and budget on a computer,'' Antwoine said. ``I'll eventually need to learn how to use this.''

The volunteer day was part of a ``World of Spirit Day'' in which KPMG's 130 offices across the country closed to help their communities. The day is the result of a pledge made in April during President Clinton's Summit on Volunteerism. KPMG representatives, like other participants, promised to continue volunteer efforts when they returned home.

The ``World of Spirit Day'' is also a celebration of the firm's 100th birthday.

More than 20,000 KPMG employees nationwide volunteered in food banks, helped build homes in urban cities or painted and spruced up schools and playgrounds. The local office chose to work with the schools to tutor children in reading, as well as teach them how to better use computers, balance a checkbook write checks and juggle busy lives.

``We could paint a house but we thought, `If we paint a house, in a year, we might not make a difference,' '' said Mary Jo Claud, marketing director with KPMG.

``We wanted to do something that could impact children.''

For Norfolk, getting 100 bodies into the schools fit one of the district's goals of using community resources to help the schools.

Not only did volunteers work in the classrooms, they held after-school sessions for faculty on estate planning, income tax law and investing.

``I think the faculty has been just as excited about this,'' said Lake Taylor Middle School Principal Toni Portlock.

``We hope it will result in a partnership that will continue, having people who can come in with career development opportunities for the students and help in other areas.''

At Lake Taylor Middle School's media center, students scanned the Internet with accountants in between quizzing them on salary potential and the math students would have to endure to become accountants.

KPMG managing partner Steve F. Evans spent his day as a reading tutor and realized some students knew very little about accountants.

``One guy asked me if I added numbers all day,'' Evans said with a laugh. ``It's good for children to get exposure and not want to be only two or three things - the teacher, doctor or lawyer they hear so much about.

``They can see we have a real benefit and real role in society.''

Evans said he also learned it wasn't easy being a teacher; he struggled with keeping his students on task and admired those who do it on a daily basis.

``Teachers have very, very challenging jobs,'' he said. ``I think that's the biggest lesson I've learned today.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photos by Motoya Nakamura/The Virginian-Pilot

Accountant Myrna Garesia tutors seventh-grader Tanya Hardesty...

Accountant Kevin Strcker, standing, center, shows...

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