News Release Distributed 08/01/12
A Financial Education Boot Camp to train teachers to teach financial skills to high school students will be Sept. 12 in Baton Rouge and Sept. 14 in Alexandria, according to Jeanette Tucker, LSU AgCenter family economist and one of the organizers.
The keynote speaker is Susie Irvine, president and CEO of the American Financial Services Association Education Foundation from Washington, D.C. She will conduct a hands-on training for the MoneySKILL curriculum, which is a free personal finance course.
“It’s a highly interactive, reality-based Internet curriculum,” Tucker said, adding that its purpose is to educate students to make informed financial decisions concerning income, expenses, saving, credit and insurance.
Other speakers will include Stephanie Bennett and Mary Ellen Vincent, from Acadiana High School Academy of Business in Lafayette, who will share successful strategies for teaching financial management. Layne McDaniel, CEO of Noesis Data (Equifax affiliate) from Baton Rouge, will discuss credit reporting and credit scores.
In addition, real-life financial simulations will be conducted on “Money Habitudes” led by Claire Loup, Federal Reserve Bank of New Orleans; “Get Real Budgeting” directed by Ann Marie Erie, Neighbors Federal Credit Union, and Jessica Oliver, Pelican State Credit Union, both of Baton Rouge; and “Living Your Financial Experience (LYFE),” which will be led by Tucker.
“LYFE, a technology-based simulation, develops the ability of students in grades 7-12 to manage their finances on their own after high school,” Tucker said, adding that it helps students gauge the economic impact that education has on their future career and lifestyle.
“The students will learn budgeting, tracking expenses, managing accounts, differentiating needs versus wants, saving to achieve financial goals and financial decision making,” Tucker said. The program was developed by LSU AgCenter in collaboration with Louisiana Federal Credit Union.
All presentations and activities are linked to common core standards or grade level equivalents for civics, math, family and consumer sciences, economics and business courses, Tucker said. Participants may earn up to 5.5 continuing learning units (CLUs) for attending.
There will be interactive educational and professional exhibits on display at the Boot Camps, Tucker said.
Tucker said the conference is aimed at high school teachers, but others who work with youth may also attend. These include financial educators, youth development professionals and volunteers, corrections professionals, bank and credit union professionals, home-school parents and faith-based organizations.
“Participants will fill their toolkits with practical tools and skills to prepare youth and adults with the foundation for financial success,” Tucker said.
The Boot Camps are sponsored by the Louisiana Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy in collaboration with the LSU AgCenter. Registration details and other information are available at www.louisianajumpstart.org.
Linda Foster Benedict