Teaching Teens to Make Smart
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Volume 14, Issue 2 • July 2014 Economics Arkansas Teaching Teens to Make Smart Board Officers he failure to graduate money-management skills, David Humphrey from high school has along with real-world exercises Chair been identified as a demonstrating the importance Michael Poore T key contributor to poverty, of academic self-discipline President yet Arkansas and the nation and goal setting. We piloted Randy Zook Vice-Chair continue to grapple with a Choices in May and June with Dr. Laura Bednar stubbornly high dropout rate 28 presentations to almost Vice-President among its high school students. 300 students in Central Ray Hobbs Economics Arkansas has made Arkansas and the feedback Immediate Past Chair the decision to partner with was overwhelmingly positive! Dr. Kieth Williams the Seattle based Choices Arkansas teens discovered they Immediate Past President Education Group to reduce this can take control of their lives and Debbie Robinson Middle school students engage in real-life Treasurer statistic. You might be asking, their future. Choices activities to find out how their choices “What does the dropout rate Choices is presented in Kimberly Williams today affect their lives in the future. Secretary have to do with economic two 45-minute installments, David Walt education?” The answer is, so we are seeking volunteers VP/Agriculture “Everything!” to deliver the program, and 8th Melinda Faubel The Choices program is grade classrooms to present the VP/Business, Industry designed to “turn on the light program. One classroom kit for Sen. Johnny Key bulb” for 8th grade students, so 30 students is approximately VP/Government they understand the impact of $135, so funders are also invited Shane Broadway VP/Education their choices. It also teaches to support this initiative! the importance of investing For more details, please Executive Committee in their human capital and contact Economics Arkansas at Members engages students in time and 501-682-4230. David Dunn Andy Guffey Arkansas Takes 5th Place Bob Harper Robert Hopkins in Capitol Hill Challenge Bruce Munro or the second year in a row, a team of high school Dr. Tony Prothro investors from Arkansas has placed among the top 10 teams nationally in the Capitol Hill Challenge Chuck Spohn F Program sponsored by the SIFMA Foundation! Bill Reed Little Rock Christian Academy took fifth place in Dr. Jane Wayland this year’s competition with an investment portfolio of $160,188.58 at the end of the 14-week investment simulation period. Representing US Congressman Tim Griffin, the team competed against almost 15,000 In this issue: other high school students from across the country. The competition uses the curriculum-based Stock New Directions ...........................2 Market Game™ to help students develop a better Econ Calendar Winners ............3 understanding of the global economy, strengthen their personal financial skills and improve their knowledge of Online Teacher Corner .............4 math, economics and business. 2014 Summer Workshops ........5 Teacher advisor Susie Thompson and her students Fundraising News .......................6 won a trip to Washington, D.C., in June to be honored SMG Spring 2014 Winners .......7 Capitol Hill Challenge winners pose with at a reception on Capitol Hill. their advisor, Susie Thompson, and Congratulations on this terrific accomplishment and United States Congressman Tim Griffin. thank you for representing our great state so well! A New Day at EA... Meet a Money Hero n June 1st, I celebrated he July edition of Money Magazine my 10th features “Money Heroes” from each Oanniversary as Tstate across our country. Dr. Jim Rollins, executive director of Superintendent of Springdale School Economics Arkansas. District and Lifetime Board Member of It has been a time Economics Arkansas, is highlighted as of great reflection Arkansas’s “Money Hero.” Dr. Rollins grew for me, as we have up in Hindsville, Arkansas, and his focus accomplished much is financial education in public schools. during the past Sue Owens Executive Director “Imagine a fairground setting, a major arena 10 years; however we for livestock events,” says Rollins. Kids of continue to face major challenges in the all ages ride, show and help organize this ever-changing education environment. I ask rodeo and their teachers base an economic curricula on it. “First myself: How can we expand our mission graders make stick horses and ride them in an arena. Then and maintain viability to schools and teachers talk about the cost of raising animals and how to sell teachers for another 50+ years? To maintain for profit.” This annual four-day event is only one of several ways our relevance and value to educators, we Rollins encourages his 20,500 students in grades K-12 to learn identified three new niches we are adding to about money. A superintendent for 32 years, Rollins still goes our program offerings. These include: into classrooms, including one at the University of Arkansas. • Developing resources and training for Teachers and parents credit him for being the cheerleader teachers and students in the Alternative Learning Environments (ALE) within who’s turned real-life experiences into economic literacy. Says school districts. Considered to be at very Rollins: “I wanted to satisfy a personal dream: that economic high risk for dropping out of school, literacy be the centerpiece of every school curriculum. I think these students are a prime audience for we’re doing that.” (excerpted from Money Magazine article) economic education. Dr. Rollins has been a hero to Economics Arkansas for many • Delivery of the Choices program, a years, and we congratulate him on being recognized nation- dropout prevention program targeting 8th ally for his passion and commitment to economic and financial grade students. (See lead article on front literacy. page.) This workshop teaches many eco- nomic concepts and it also engages com- munity volunteers, so we can connect board members and donors with students TIPS CORNER in the classroom! • Developing programs such as a Family Looking for formal assessments addressed in TESS Domain 3d? Financial Literacy Night to serve the “pa- rental involvement” requirement schools Check out https://getkahoot.com have. Implementing these new initiatives, plus A Kahoot is a collection of questions that you can create specific to your continuing to offer our current training classroom or choose from a library of assessments created by others. Ques- and programs requires us to reconfigure tions are asked in real-time, to an unlimited number of “players,” staff responsibilities. I will remain Execu- creating a social, fun and game-like learning environment for students! tive Director with a shift toward program, so my new focus will be on developing Also, visit our website: www.economicsarkansas.org/for_teachers/for- relationships with key stakeholders in K-12 mative_assessments.html for free, downloadable assessments. education and facilitating new program opportunities. Marsha Masters was recently promoted to Associate Director, so she will Funding for Stock Market Game! add some management tasks while still providing educator training. We plan to add or the third year, The Walton Family Foundation has provided a a full-time Development Director to be in generous grant to help fund economic education projects submitted charge of meeting our revenue needs as our Fat DonorsChoose.org. Requests can include hands-on materials, programs expand, so this new fiscal year of technology, books or supplies that will help your students learn economics and personal finance, and you may also request funds to pay Stock 2014-2015 will be one of transition as these Market Game team fees to Economics Arkansas. DonorsChoose has set changes are made. This is both a critical a deadline of August 15th to apply for Stock Market Game team fees for and exciting time for Economics Arkansas Fall 2014 and/or Spring 2015, so don’t delay in posting your request! as we want to ensure our footprint into the Funding requests for items other than Stock Market Game fees may future. be made throughout the school year. Be sure to tag your projects as I am deeply grateful to the Economics economics projects so they qualify Arkansas staff, board members, educators, for the “Double Your Impact” monies and donors for your support during my available. Questions? Call us at 501- tenure. We are making a difference! 682-4230. 2 The Fourth “R” • July 2014 Economics Exchange Program Calendar ecipients of economic education grants from Economics Arkansas for the 2013-14 August 7, 2014 Rschool year gathered to share successes Civics, Economics and Art - The Many and challenges of implementing their classroom Resources at Clinton Library projects. In mid-May, 31 teachers and 3 students 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. reported on their economics projects and Clinton Presidential Library networked with peers. From video recording Little Rock hovercrafts to classroom economies, and coloring books to being on the loose with Dr. Seuss, these August 13, 2014 teachers’ creative and thoughtful use of economics Bald Knob School District Professional in the classroom enriched the lives of students Service workshop across the state. Nearly $28,000 was awarded to Automated video helicopter enabled drone Arkansas teachers in support of these projects. project from Hot Springs High School. August 15, 2014 Stock Market Game Fee Scholarship Teachers commented on what they liked most: Request due to Donorschoose.org • Spending time collaborating with other middle school teachers and projects that included the Walmart unit September 16, 2014 and the Human Capital Game board. I always walk away inspired and excited to take on another project. Stock Market Game Extravaganza Thanks! 8:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Economics Arkansas Office • I loved all the new ideas! Thank you! Thank you! Little Rock, AR • I always enjoy hearing the projects that are done at all grade levels. The enthusiasm is so uplifting! September 17, 2014 • Being part of the sharing of the projects.