Charles Schwab Foundation Rolls out "Innovation Awards" for Creative Delivery of Financial Education at Select Boys & Girls Clubs.Imaginative Tactics Engage Teens in the Money Matters: Make It Count(SM) Program SAN FRANCISCO San Francisco (săn frănsĭs`kō), city (1990 pop. 723,959), coextensive with San Francisco co., W Calif., on the tip of a peninsula between the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, which are connected by the strait known as the Golden -- In a quest to uncover new and engaging ways to make learning about money management compelling and meaningful to today's youth, Charles Schwab Charles Schwab can refer to:
* Boys & Girls Club of East Aurora Aurora, cities, United States Aurora (ərôr`ə, ô–). 1 City (1990 pop. 222,103), Adams and Arapahoe counties, N central Colo., a growing suburb on the east side of Denver; inc. 1903. (New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of ), * The Salvation Army Salvation Army, Protestant denomination and international nonsectarian Christian organization for evangelical and philanthropic work. Organization and Beliefs The Salvation Army has established branches in 100 countries throughout the world. Boys & Girls Club of Charlotte (North Carolina North Carolina, state in the SE United States. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean (E), South Carolina and Georgia (S), Tennessee (W), and Virginia (N). Facts and Figures Area, 52,586 sq mi (136,198 sq km). Pop. ), * Boys & Girls Club of Evansville (Indiana), * Boys & Girls Club of Collin County (McKinney, Texas McKinney is a city in Collin County, Texas (USA), the county seat and second in population to Plano. As of the 2006, the North Central Texas Council of Governments estimated the city population to be 102,853. ), and * Boys & Girls Club of King County (Seattle, Washington  This page is protected from moves until disputes have been resolved on the .The reason for its protection is listed on the protection policy page. ). While each winning club employs different strategies and tactics to teach critical personal finance skills, a common theme for all involves reaching outside the framework of the basic Money Matters financial education curriculum to encourage hands-on, experiential ex·pe·ri·en·tial adj. Relating to or derived from experience. ex·pe  ri·en learning. The
different approaches include simulation of real-life financial
decision-making, entrepreneurism and community involvement, local
business participation in the program, and family outreach and
involvement.
For example, the Boys & Girls Club of East Aurora, New York East Aurora is a village in Erie County, New York, United States. The population was 6,673 at the 2000 census. The Village of East Aurora lies in the eastern half of the Town of Aurora. It is southeast of Buffalo, New York. , has created its own "bank" and provides each teen participant with $1 as "seed money" and a checkbook complete with check register and deposit slips. When the teens wish to purchase something from the Club's snack bar, they are encouraged to write a check as payment--provided they have the funds in their account to cover it. As a group, the kids learn to reconcile bank statements created by the club, with their own personal check registers. The Collin County Club similarly has its own currency, called "smart bucks" that kids can earn in a variety of ways and spend in the Club's "Buck Store." They also have the ability to save their smart bucks (and earn interest on them). At the Boys & Girls Club of King County in Seattle, a Micro Society program enables teens to create their own city-society within the club's walls and serves as an umbrella for multiple club programs including Money Matters. "This entrepreneurial playground gives our youth experience in running a business, participating in government and taking leadership roles in the community, and it motivates them to develop skills that prepare them for success in school, work and life," said Chief Professional Officer Daniel Johnson Daniel Johnson is the name of:
Community and family involvement are other important elements for two of the winning Clubs. The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club of Charlotte and the Boys & Girls Club of Collin County in McKinney, Texas, aim to involve the whole family in Money Matters in order to strengthen the foundation of learning for the kids. Sessions for parents are offered in addition to those for the teens, covering topics such as renting vs. owning a home, choosing a bank, the importance of credit scores, budgeting, and credit card use. Community partnership is the key to success for the Evansville Boys & Girls Club. Employees of Old National Bank teach the Money Matters sessions, and each teen who successfully completes the program receives a savings account Savings Account A deposit account intended for funds that are expected to stay in for the short term. A savings account offers lower returns than the market rates. Notes: at the Bank, pre-funded with ten dollars to get them started on a healthy saving habit. "This partnership has proven to be a very effective way to break down barriers in both directions," said Ron Ryan, chief professional officer at the Club. "Participants gain a sense of trust for the Bank and its employees, and the Bank employees gain insight into the lives of teens living in poverty and the challenges they face in becoming productive, responsible adults. Through the entire interactive relationship-building and education process, everyone involved benefits from this unique experience." "Even the best financial education curriculum needs to incorporate creative ways to deepen deep·en tr. & intr.v. deep·ened, deep·en·ing, deep·ens To make or become deep or deeper. deepen Verb to make or become deeper or more intense Verb 1. impact with young people," said Carrie Schwab-Pomerantz, president of Charles Schwab Foundation. "The Innovation Awards have helped identify meaningful, new ways to reach teens and bring financial education to life. That's what's most important: making the lessons fun and real so that these kids gain the knowledge and skills they'll need to make good financial decisions throughout their lives." About Money Matters: Make It Count Funded by Charles Schwab Foundation, Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Money Matters program is designed to promote money management skills among teens, ages 13-18. The program consists of fun, interactive activities and exercises on topics such as using a checking account, managing debt, saving for college and learning the basics of investing. The program is targeted primarily at teens from underserved communities and complements other Boys & Girls Club youth development programming. Nearly 180,000 youth at approximately 1,500 teen Boys & Girls Clubs across the U.S. have participated in Money Matters since the program's launch in mid-2004. In addition, over the past five years, Charles Schwab Foundation has presented a cumulative total of $300,000 in scholarships to 147 Club teens who completed Money Matters and demonstrated exceptional financial skills from their newly acquired knowledge of personal finance. About Boys & Girls Clubs of America For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America (www.bgca.org) has been changing and saving young lives, providing hope and opportunity for kids who need them most. Today, some 4,300 Clubs serve some 4.5 million young people through Club membership and community outreach. Known as The Positive Place for Kids, Boys & Girls Clubs can be found all across the country and on U.S. military bases throughout the world. Clubs provide young people 6-18 years old with guidance-oriented character development programs conducted by trained, professional staff. In communities large and small, Clubs positively impact lives and help young people reach their full potential as productive, caring citizens. Key Boys & Girls Club programs emphasize leadership development; education and career exploration; community service; financial literacy Financial literacy is the ability of individuals to make appropriate decisions in managing their personal finances. Raising levels of financial literacy is now a focus of government programmes in countries including[1] Australia, Japan, the United States and the UK. ; health and life skills; the arts; sports, fitness and recreation; and family outreach. In a recent Harris Survey of Club alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their life. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. About Charles Schwab Foundation Charles Schwab Foundation is a private, nonprofit organization Nonprofit Organization An association that is given tax-free status. Donations to a non-profit organization are often tax deductible as well. Notes: Examples of non-profit organizations are charities, hospitals and schools. funded by the Charles Schwab Corporation. Its mission is to create positive change through financial education, philanthropy philanthropy, the spirit of active goodwill toward others as demonstrated in efforts to promote their welfare. The term is often used interchangeably with charity. , and volunteerism vol·un·teer·ism n. Use of or reliance on volunteers, especially to perform social or educational work in communities. volunteerism . More information is available at www.aboutschwab.com/community. (1009-11550) PHOTO CAPTION: The Boys & Girls Club of East Aurora, New York, has its own "bank," and teens get their own checkbooks complete with check register and deposit slips. Photos/Multimedia Gallery Available: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/mmg.cgi?eid=6086009&lang=en |
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