UA Leads National Effort to Train Personal Finance Educators
The annual training session arms teachers from around the country with the skills to teach personal finance skills to students.

By Jeff Harrison, University Communications
June 9, 2010


Amid an economy struggling to make its way out of a recession, the University of Arizona continues its national effort to train personal finance educators.

The UA's Family Economics and Financial Education, or FEFE, program –

a part of the Take Charge America Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research – is hosting its ninth annual National Financial Literacy Training June 14-18.

The UA-designed course, "Take Charge of your Finances," is geared for people who provide financial education to students, parents, other educators and community members. Professor Michael Staten, director of the Take Charge America Institute, will offer a keynote speech focusing on understanding credit scores.

According to Staten, a 2008 national survey by the Jump$tart Coalition showed that, when quizzed, high school seniors correctly answered less than half of the questions on financial literacy.

"One look at our current economic crisis tells you that money management affects virtually everything we do," Staten said. "A financially literate community is vital in addressing current and future problems."

More than 100 educators from across the country will be provided with ready-to-teach lesson plans and materials free of charge and the skills and confidence to effectively teach personal finance.

The program is based in the Norton School of Family and Consumer Sciences in the UA College of Agriculture and Life Sciences.

Joyce Serido, a UA assistant research scientist at TCAI, will speak on "What is Influencing Students' Attitudes towards Personal Finance."

Other speakers and their topics include:

  • Jeanne Hogarth, manager for the consumer education research section of the Division of Consumer and Community Affairs at the Federal Reserve Board: "How the New Credit Card Legislation Impacts You"
  • Deborah Haynes, Montana State University associate professor of family and consumer economics: "Creating Economic and Financial Well-Being"
  • Rene Pelegero, senior director of industry relations and strategy for the global core payments department at PayPal, Inc., will speak about new payment technologies: "How the Internet and Mobile Phones Have Changed the Payment Landscape"
  • Michael Sullivan, education director for Take Charge America, will discuss consumer protection issues
  • Corey Stone, Center for Financial Services Innovation, will provide a special presentation: "Identifying New Research about Young Adults' First Encounters with the Marketplace"

Twelve award-winning master teachers also will conduct workshops covering topics including: values, goal setting, needs versus wants, career development, spending plans, paychecks and taxes, saving and investing, housing, transportation, credit and identity protection.

Extra info

What

Ninth Annual National Financial Literacy Training

Where

Westin La Paloma Resort, 3800 E. Sunrise Drive

When

June 14-18

Share

Resources for the media

Kimberley A. Brooke

Norton School Family and Consumer Sciences

520-626-7952

brooke@u.arizona.edu