Foundation Awards Financial Literacy Grants

December 8, 2011

LOCAL FOUNDATION AWARDS OVER $1,000 TO FIVE SCHOOLS FOR FINANCIAL LITERACY INITIATIVES

Woodbury, MINN. – United Educators Foundation has awarded five grants to schools for their 2011/2012 financial literacy initiatives related to saving, math, money management and creating a financial foundation for youth. Grant amounts ranged from $200-$300. The winning schools are Alliance Education Center (Rosemount), Cottage Grove Middle School (Cottage Grove), Pine Island Middle School (Pine Island), Stephen Argyle Central (Stephen), and Willow Lane Elementary School (White Bear Lake).

"It's very important for students to learn financial concepts, along with the basics of handling money and finances that are needed to succeed in life," said Del Danielson, President and CEO of United Educators Foundation and United Educators Credit Union. "We are proud to support those teaching financial education and giving our youth the tools they will need for economic independence."

The new grant recipients are:

Alliance Education Center (Rosemount); Special Education teacher Theresa Bowlin will teach "Savings for the Future." 10th and 11th graders in the Students with Unique Needs (SUN) Program will be given the opportunity to learn real life math skills by earning and saving, real money in their Savings for the Future savings account. Students will be able to save up to $50, which then can be used for a field trip of their choosing.

Cottage Grove Middle School (Cottage Grove); Math teacher Asia Bednar will use the grant for "The School Store: Learning State Standards through Real World Math." Students in 6th – 8th grade, who struggle with mathematical concepts, will learn money fundamentals that are needed to run a store, such as inventory and cost of goods sold. Through the process the students will learn how to apply the four mathematical operations to fractions, decimals and percents. The grant will be used to purchase school store materials including a cash register, store hours sign, work schedule pad and checkbook registers.

Pine Island Middle School (Pine Island); Pine Island Middle School teachers Mr. Arnes, Mr. Dickle and Mrs. Jones will teach "Financial Literacy." Students in 7th grade will be taught using Chad Foster's Financial Literacy for Teens book, which will help students understand finances and how they can be applied in the subjects of social studies, math and reading. Students will read the book, discuss covered topics and write about their personal/family experiences with money.

Stephen Argyle Central (Stephen); Business Education teacher Mrs. Janelle will teach "Personal Finance Stories." 11th and 12th grade students will create a digital storybook about a subject related to financial literacy. They will learn about goals, budgeting and saving money, and then use digital cameras to create storybooks. The illustrations will reinforce their understanding and importance of setting goals, saving money and budgeting. The students will use the completed books to educate elementary school students of the importance of using their monetary resources wisely.

Willow Lane Elementary School (White Bear Lake); Social Studies and Economic teachers Tammy Reed, Deb Bleymeyer and Tracy Gripentrog will teach "Saving for the Future" to their third grade students. Students will be asked demonstrate and practice ways to save money, which in the end will be used for a field trip. During the year long lesson, students will be asked to make important economic decisions, using informed choices, to solve problems and to become independent thinker when generating ideas to meet a set goal.

The United Educators Foundation was established in 2008 to generate and provide contributive funding and resources that advance educational initiatives and support charitable causes within the educational communities United Educators Credit Union cooperative serves. The Financial Literacy Grant program was created to help ensure financial education begins at a young age, and to support the educators teaching it.