Iowa Jump$tart Coalition

With the help of many Money Smart Week (MSW) partners, planning teams and national champions across the country, the MSW 2017 campaign was a great success. Through this campaign, coordinated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, MSW partners and planning teams help leverage public-private partnerships to connect community members with thousands of free educational resources and opportunities during the week long campaign.

To view the MSW 2017 annual report, click here.

The 2018 MSW campaign will take place April 21-28, 2018. For more information about events or becoming a MSW partner, visit http://www.moneysmartweek.org.

New changes mark the fourth year of the parent-focused giveaway program from Iowa Student Loan®.

Fifty parents ― an increase from 30 in previous years ― will be awarded $1,000 deposits into a College Savings Iowa® plan during the Save Now, Save Later: College Savings Plan Parent Giveaway. The program is open to Iowa residents who have a student in grades six through 12 at an Iowa middle or high school.

“This year we’ve added parents of middle schoolers to the eligible participants, as it is an important age to start thinking about college plans, even if it seems far in the future,” said Steve McCullough, president and CEO of Iowa Student Loan. “Our program will help guide parents to start planning for college, and give them a chance to win a $1,000 savings plan contribution, which can make an impact on a college student’s finances.”

No purchase is necessary to enter. The program is open to Iowa residents who are a parent or guardian of an eligible Iowa student. As part of the registration process, parents will view the Parent Handbook, a new online, self-exploratory educational module. The module is a series of valuable tips, categorized by relevant topics, to help families of students in grades 6–12 prepare for success in college and other post-secondary options.

Iowa Student Loan works directly with College Savings Iowa on the giveaway. College Savings Iowa is the state’s direct-sold 529 program, administered by State Treasurer Michael Fitzgerald. Parents who are chosen as winners can have the deposit made to an existing account for the registered student, or a new account can be set up upon winning the giveaway.

“The program puts into perspective the importance of being financially aware and that college is an investment in your child’s future,” said Julie Resch, a 2016 winner from Spirit Lake. “It was a great refresher for me as we start to help our second child get ready for entering college.”

Registration for the program runs now through Oct. 22. Winners will be selected in November and announced after they are notified.

Learn more about the giveaway
Parents interested in learning more about the Save Now, Save Later giveaway, or in
entering the giveaway, can visit www.iowastudentloan.org/SaveNow for full giveaway description, official rules, registration and frequently asked questions.

The American Bankers Association (ABA) is sponsoring the 15th annual Get Smart About Credit Program. This national campaign is made of volunteer bankers who work with young people to help raise awareness about the importance of using credit wisely.

Join the ABA for the next Get Smart About Credit Day on Oct. 19, 2017. 

This year, the program will be focusing on five critical areas: paying for college, protecting your identity, knowing your credit score, managing you money and careers in banking.

Many resources are available to registered banks through the campaign. These resources include webinars, presentations and communication tools that are gear toward high school students and young adults.

To learn more about the Get Smart About Credit campaign and to find a list of participating banks, click here.

Questions? Find the answers on the Frequently Asked Questions page. For additional information, contact Jeni Pastier.

A recent survey conducted by ORC International for Junior Achievement, in conjunction with the fall roll out of Junior Achievement’s work-and-career-readiness programs, suggests that many students and parents have concerns about future career prospects.

Of the 1,204 parents of school-aged students surveyed, more than three-quarters of them are “concerned” about their children’s ability to have a successful job or career as adults. According to the survey, this concern is caused by global competition and automation. The parents surveyed aren’t the only one with worries. Among the 1,000 teens surveyed, 77 percent are “concerned” about having a successful job or career as well.

“Education and skills are going to be critical for the next generation’s success in an ever-changing workplace,” said Ryan Osborn, president of Junior Achievement of Central Iowa. “Many of the entry-level jobs we know today won’t be around in the next decade, and many of the jobs of tomorrow haven’t even been conceived of yet.”

“It’s important we encourage our young people to explore post-secondary education, whether that be a university, community college, or a technical or trade school, “he said. “Having some level of technical training is going to be critical for future career success. A high school diploma or GED just won’t be enough for many jobs.”

In the survey, 45 percent of parents said they are “extremely or very” concerned about their children’s prospects for future employment, along with 40 percent of the teens having the same level of concern.

*Survey respondents, conducted from late June through mid-July, were selected from those who have volunteered to participate in online surveys and polls. Due to the sample base being made of individuals who self-selected for participation, no estimate of sampling error can be calculated.

Iowa College Aid has recently released the 2017-18 edition of “Your Course to College.” This guide is a free tool for high school students and their families who are beginning the college process.

“Your Course to College” includes year-by-year strategies, funding strategies, and transition tips. The guide also contains a comprehensive directory of Iowa schools, with tuition and room and board figures, and code numbers for ACT, SAT and FAFSA completion.

To download a copy of “Your Course to College,” click here.

Registration is officially open to all banks interested in partaking in the American Banker Association’s (ABA) Lights, Camera, Save! contest. This national contest encourages teens to make a video demonstrating the value of money management. All videos must be under 90 seconds long and submitted to a participating bank.

Each bank that registers for the contest will host the first round of judging. Each bank will select a winner to compete at the national level for several awards. The grand prize is $5,000, plus a scholarship for a teach at the winner’s school to attend the 2018 Jump$tart National Educator Conference.

For banks interested in hosting, the ABA Foundation will hold a free informational webinar today, Aug. 17 at 3 p.m. EDT. Register for the webinar by clicking here.

To register to become a hosting bank for the Lights, Camera, Save! contest, click here.

It is summer time and lesson plans are the furthest thing from teachers and parents’ minds. However, we have a few activities that can still teach your children about financial literacy this summer. Check out these fun and simple ways to bring up the topic.

Milk Jug Pigs– Take an afternoon and make homemade piggy banks out of old milk jugs. You can use the milk jug pigs to help your child save for various things. Even make it a competition between your kids to who can save more!

Lemonade Stand- Make a lemonade stand with your kids to help them learn about buying and selling. Have your kids practice with monopoly money so you can help answer their questions before the grand opening.

Free Fun Jar- Rather than planning expensive activities for the summer, have your kids make a “free fun jar.” Decorate an old mason jar and fill it with fun activities that happen to be free. Examples include going for a bike ride, going to the local park, checking out the library, playing hide and seek, etc. Fill the jar and talk about how these activities will not only be fun when the kids are bored but how the free activities will help save your family money.

Cleaning Coins– Does your child love science? Then why not mix science and financial literacy together! Have your kids clean coins using two simple ingredients – white vinegar and salt – and also use the time to educate them on the value of the coins you clean.

For more fun and simple ways to incorporate financial literacy this summer, check out the websites below.

25 Fun Money Activities for Kids

15 Fun Financial Literacy Crafts for Kids

17 Fun Money Activities for Kids

The 17^th annual Conference for Personal Financial Literacy was held on Wednesday, June 21, at DMACC’s FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny. The conference was an opportunity for teachers and other educators to gain knowledge of the resources and tools available for financial literacy in the classroom.

2017 Money Smart Kid, Kira Currier, reads her winning essay to conference attendees.

Travis Lloyd shares stories of his past to remind attendees why they chose this path and how much they matter in the lives of their students.

Stefanie Wager, Financial Literacy Consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, gives an update of the new statewide financial literacy standards.

The 2017 National Conference Scholarship winners were announced at the conference. Winners include (left to right) Linda Vanden Bosch (Clarinda Community School District), Elizabeth Martinez (North High School, Des Moines), Consuelo (Connie) Bates (North High School, Sioux City), Dione Ferguson (Brody Middle School, Des Moines), and Bryan Bjorklund (Mason City Community School District).

David Strege with Syverson Strege and Company explains the ins and outs of investing.

Joanne Kuster with Kuster LTD. is awards the Iowa Jump$tart third annual member award for her service with the coalition.

Mike Johnson, financial planner and educator at Southeast Polk High School, leads attendees through important financial concepts.

Shontrelle Johnson (middle), Poverty Reduction Specialist with Polk County, celebrates as Gen Personal Finance draws his name for a free trip to the National Educators Conference in November.

(Click to enlarge photos/ view captions.)

Welcome

Julie Ntem, project manager at Iowa College Aid, began the 17^th annual conference by welcoming all attendees, volunteers and exhibitors. Kira Currier, the 2017 Money Smart Kid from Johnston Middle School, then read her winning essay answering the question: Do you think there is a connection between financial health and physical health? What can you do to become more financially healthy? To read Currier’s essay, click here.

Opening Keynote: Just 1 Person

Travis Lloyd shared personal stories about growing up being labeled as an “at-risk” kid and how he was able to develop into a well-rounded contributing member of society with the help of others. He shared with attendees that it took just 1 person to plant seeds that guided him to the path of health, happiness and success. Lloyd’s keynote reminded attendees of why they chose this path and how much they matter in the lives of their students.

Iowa Department of Education

Stefanie Wager, Financial Literacy Consultant at the Iowa Department of Education, gave an update of the new statewide financial literacy standards and discussed the work already being done to provide resources and professional development in financial literacy. To view the new standards, click here.

Breakout Sessions

Throughout the day, nine different breakout sessions were offered. These breakout sessions included: Budget Stimulation (Erick Danielson, Iowa College Access Network), Using Online Smart Borrowing Tools in Your Classroom (Marc Hendel, Iowa Student Loan), Financial Literacy for K-12 Educators (Kyle Osborne, TS Institute), Implementing NGPF Case Studies in the Personal Finance Classroom (Amanda Volz, St. Clair, Michigan Financial Management teacher and 2016-17 Next Gen personal Finance Fellow), Evaluating Online Resources (Sandra O’Brien, Kirkwood Community College), Leading Difficult Conversations with Students on Personal Finance (Kent Johnson, Consumer Credit of Des Moines), Running a Classroom Economy Simulation for a Jr. High Classroom (Ali Thompson, Southeast Polk Schools), Demystifying Credit Reports (Adriane Moline, Horizons, A Family Service Alliance), and Financial Aid Exposed! (Julie Voss and Elizabeth Sedrel, Iowa College Student Aid Commission).

Strategic Sharing Panel

During the lunch hour, Travis Lloyd facilitated a strategic sharing panel with three young adults coming from different backgrounds. The panelists walked attendees through their backgrounds, the financial challenges they faced while growing up and what they wish they would have been taught about finances. Two educators wrapped up the panel by sharing opportunities and challenges of teaching financial literacy in the classroom.

Exhibitors

Attendees were also able to visit with exhibitors to learn about financial literacy resources available to them and their classroom.

Closing Keynote: How financial Education Needs to Change in this Era of Innovation

Amanda Volz from Next Gen Personal Finance provided an informative closing address on the most disruptive changes occurring in this era of innovation and the modernized resources Next Gen has to offer, including lesson plans, activities, case students and much more. To view Next Gen’s website, click here.

2017 National Conference Scholarship Winners

The winners of the Iowa Jump$tart scholarships to the 2017 National Educators Conference Nov. 3-5 in Washington, D.C. were announced. The scholarship recipients were: Dione Ferguson (Brody Middle School, Des Moines), Bryan Bjorklund (Mason City Community School District), Consuelo (Connie) Bates (North High School, Sioux City), Elizabeth Martinez (North High School, Des Moines), and Linda Vanden Bosch (Clarinda Community School District).

Next Gen Personal Finance also awarded a free trip to the National Educators Conference to one attendee. The winner drawn was Shontrelle Johnson (Poverty Reduction Specialist with Polk County).

Iowa Jump$tart Member Award

Joanne Kuster with Kuster Ltd. was awarded the Iowa Jump$tart third annual member award for her service with the coalition. Joanne has been a leader and has a true commitment to improving the personal financial literacy of all Iowans.  Joann was instrumental in helping grow the Money Smart Week program across the state.

Fiscal Fitness – Reaching it and Teaching it!

New this year was a bonus day two of the conference, Fiscal Fitness – Reaching it and Teaching it! Mike Johnson, financial planner and educator at Southeast Polk High School, lead attendees through important financial concepts via case studies, self-reflection and classroom lesson examples. David Strege with Syverson Strege and Company explained the ins and outs of investing. Nick Gerhart with Farm Bureau shared his expertise on insurance.