Financial Literacy Tools, Helpful Information

2015 Money Smart Kid Essay Contest Announced

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Iowa Bankers Association Communications Coordinator Shawnna Stiver (left) and Iowa Credit Union Foundation Executive Director Jaimie Miller (right) present a certificate to 2014 Money Smart Kid Laura Stowater of Algona Middle School (center)

In support of Money Smart Week April 18-25, the Iowa Bankers Association is sponsoring the annual Money Smart Kid Essay Contest in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. The student winner of the contest will receive a $1,000 college savings account. Students in grades 7-11 may enter the contest by answering the essay questions: What is the biggest obstacle to saving your money? What technological and/or banking solutions might help you and your friends begin to save? The deadline to submit an essay is March 27, 2015, and the winner will be notified by April 10. Click here for more information.

Financial Literacy Tools, Helpful Information, Upcoming Events

Register Now for Your Money Your Future Online Classes

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YMYFlogoNeed help with your budget? ISU Extension and Outreach is offering “Your Money Your Future,” a two-hour online class which will show you a better way to stretch your dollars and plan for the future. The online class will be offered at 5:30 p.m. on Dec. 1, Jan. 5 and Feb. 5. Registration for the class is $15. For more information or to register, click here.

News/Accolades

TS Institute Receives Money Smarts Banky Award for Financial Literacy Education

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Extraordinary Banking Award 2014 Photo-sm

TS Institute was recognized with the Money Smarts Banky® Award for Financial Literacy Education as a result of their extraordinary service to their clients and their community through a commitment to financial literacy programs. TS Institute, a part of the TS Banking Group,  serves K‐12 students in their community and beyond.

“It is an honor to receive such an award and to be able to provide a unique and authentic opportunity for students and community members to deepen their understanding and application of financial literacy skills,” said Bob Mantell, Director of the TS Institute.

The Banky® Awards exist to highlight the vital role that local, community banks play in our economy. The Bankys® recognize the best of what community banks offer to our cities, towns and our nation.

Bob Mantell, Director of the TS Institute accepted the award from Roxanne Emmerich at the Profit‐Growth Banking Summit in Chicago on Sept. 11. Click here to read more about this award.

Contests, Financial Literacy Tools

Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge Kicks Off, Giving Participating High Schools Chance to Win $1,000

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A partnership of educational organizations is providing an incentive for Iowa high schools to assess their students’ financial understanding. Schools have a chance at a cash prize by participating in the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge between now and Jan. 31, 2015. Iowa Student Loan® — in partnership with the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa Jump$tart Coalition, Junior Achievement of Central Iowa and the Iowa College Access Network — is sponsoring the challenge and providing a chance for schools to win $1,000 for their participation. Teachers who take part in the challenge can also cater activities to satisfy financial literacy requirements for the Iowa Core 21st Century Skills.

The challenge is intended to reward Iowa high school educators who promote critical financial literacy skills by using two online financial literacy tutorials in classrooms. High schools that register and have students experience Student Loan Game PlanSM and ROCI Reality Check by Jan. 31willbe entered in a drawing for a chance to win one of 30 cash prizes.

Click here to learn more. Or click here to enter.

Financial Literacy Tools, Helpful Information

Register Now for Your Chance to Win Save Now, Save Later Contest!

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College Savings Iowa® is a great way to help your students plan for their future college education. And with Iowa Student Loan’s Save Now, Save Later giveaway, you could give that savings a $1,500 boost. Registration for the contest is open until Dec. 19, 2014.

Parents or legal guardians of an Iowa high school student can enter by completing the cosigner version of Student Loan Game PlanSM and then filling out and submitting the registration form. No loan application is necessary.

In January 2015, 20 winners will be randomly selected to win a $1,500 deposit to an existing or new College Savings Iowa account. Winners will be announced in February 2015.

Click here to learn more.

Helpful Information

Introducing Financial Literacy Professional Development Opportunity for Middle and High School Teachers

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Join TS Institute and the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis on Oct. 28 in Carroll, Iowa, for a FREE day-long professional development program titled “Financial Literacy for Middle and High School Classrooms.” Topics for the program designed especially for teachers will include earning income, spending and saving, credit and investing. Each session will include classroom content and will offer tools that you can use the next day in the classroom. Resources provided will include lesson plans, whiteboard applications, videos and more. Plus, all resources meet the Iowa Core Curriculum 21st Century Skills standards. Click here for more information, including details on how to register. Also, click here check out other financial literacy programs for Iowa students, arranged by grade level.

Helpful Information, Scholarships

Iowa Bankers Association to Offer Chance to Earn Scholarships to Schools Participating in Project Financial Literacy

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project_fl-logoThe Iowa Bankers Association is sponsoring ten $1,000 scholarships that will be provided to Iowa high schools participating in Project Financial Literacy this school year. Starting Oct. 1, Iowa schools can sign up to participate in this program at www.projectfl.org.

Project Financial Literacy is designed to promote financial literacy education by providing high schools with resources to measure and improve their financial literacy curriculum. The program offers schools an assessment tool, created by Ednalysis, an Iowa-based company, to measure their curriculum against the 21st Century Skills framework of the Iowa Core Curriculum. The tool helps measure students’ knowledge in the areas of achieving financial goals, managing money effectively, debt decision-making, risk management, investment and asset building, and legal and ethical financial behavior.

Continue reading “Iowa Bankers Association to Offer Chance to Earn Scholarships to Schools Participating in Project Financial Literacy” →

Iowa Jump$tart Information

Iowa Jump$tart Members Participate in Panel Discussion on Financial Literacy

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FinancialLiteracyPanel2A panel of Iowa financial literacy and education experts, including members from Iowa Jump$tart, recently participated in a panel discussion on financial literacy during the Iowa Bankers Association’s Annual Convention in Des Moines. The panelists included Lincoln Hughes from EverFi, Kevin Klemesrud from American State Bank, Steve McCullough from Iowa Student Loan, Joanne Kuster from Kuster LTD, and Bob Mantell from TS Institute. The panelists discussed with Iowa bankers trends they are seeing in the areas of financial literacy and shared tips for implementing effective financial literacy programs. They also shared a number of tools and resources available to assist schools with financial literacy programs, including the EverFi technology platform, which is sponsored by more than 50 Iowa banks in more than 150 schools, Project Financial Literacy assessment tool, student debt calculators from Iowa Student Loan, opportunities available through Money Smart Week programs, and resources available from the TS Institute, an organization created by TS Bank to offer K-12 financial literacy programs.

Iowa Jump$tart Information

Governor and Department of Education Director Announce New Financial Literacy Recommendations

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IMG_2058This week, Iowa Governor Terry Branstad and Department of Education Director Brad Buck held a press conference to unveil recommendations for improving financial literacy across the state. The recommendations were developed by a collaborative working group of state officials from the Department of Education and representatives from the business community, including members of the Iowa Jump$tart Coalition. Read more about the recommendations here: http://bit.ly/1mbV3m3

Member Minute, News/Accolades

Jump$tart Member Spotlight: Mike Johnson

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Mike JohnsonIowa Jump$tart is a coalition of members who seek to improve the personal financial literacy of all Iowans. To help you get to know our board members better, we will periodically spotlight members here.

For this spotlight, we are featuring Mike Johnson. Mike brings a wealth of financial education knowledge to the board – with his experience in helping both students and adults. Mike started teaching economics in high school 14 years ago, and is currently a teacher at SE Polk High School — where he helps teach students about financial literacy. Mike just started working as a financial planner, and in addition to teaching, also is an advisor with AO Wealth Advisory in Urbandale.