Take our in-person FinCamps and deliver them virtually? What a crazy idea, right? That can't possibly turn out well...or can it?

Well, we found out after a late spring snowstorm barreled down on the Dakotas and threatened to cancel our FinCamps planned for Sioux Falls and Fargo. We needed to act quickly to develop an alternative. So NGPFers Abby and Laura developed a Virtual FinCamp overnight! As they say, "Necessity is the mother of invention!"

With an average rating of 9.8 out of 10 (same as our in-person FinCamps), these intrepid educators delighted in the first and second Virtual FinCamps:

• "...I'm so glad that it worked out so well online! I was very hesitant about online but it was great! Helped me practice my technology skills..."
• "Great job! Was very impressed with the ability to change to meet virtually on such short notice. I was worried that 6 hours on Zoom would be too much, but it went very fast."

We initially announced this on Tuesday and already have almost 200 sign-ups so register today before the sessions fill up. 

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FIND A VIRTUAL FINCAMP AND REGISTER HERE

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FAQs for Virtual FinCamps

1. How many Virtual FinCamps does NGPF have planned this summer?
18! We know that educators love to use the summer months to tinker, update, and refresh their curriculum. Visit our Virtual FinCamp page to see the full calendar.

2. How many teachers can participate in a specific Virtual FinCamp?
We will be capping enrollment at 25 teachers so be sure to sign up soon as spaces will fill up quickly.

We ask for your assistance by:
1) only enrolling in Virtual FinCamps that you know you WILL attend, and
2) contacting us to let us know if you need to cancel. Last minute cancellations means a spot for a teacher will remain unfilled.

3. If I have attended an in-person FinCamp, what will I have to look forward to at these Virtual FinCamps?
The Virtual FinCamps will differ from our in-person FinCamps in that they will have a topical focus: Careers, Insurance, Investing,Taxes, and Credit. Each of these will be offered 3 times this summer! We also will be offering a Virtual FinCamp 2019 that closely mirrors our in-person FinCamp for those who have NOT attended a FinCamp.

4. How will a Virtual FinCamp keep me engaged?
Our FinCamp philosophy remains intact with Virtual FinCamp. The hallmarks of that are teacher engagement, collaboration, and the opportunity to explore resources while sharing implementation ideas with other participants. The Zoom platform allows teachers to engage via voice, chat, breakout rooms, and shared Google docs, to name just a few.

5. What technical skills will I need to be on a Virtual FinCamp? 
Minimal. We send over a Zoom link [Zoom is the platform we use], you click and join the meeting. NO software downloads required. This video will show you the basics.

6. At what times will the Virtual FinCamps be offered? How long will they last?
To accommodate the varied summer schedules, the Virtual FinCamps will be offered with different start times of 6 a.m., 7 a.m., 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. PT [9 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 12 noon ET] and will last for approximately 5 hours. The Virtual FinCamps are structured as three, 90-minute blocks that are separated by 15-minute breaks.

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FIND A VIRTUAL FINCAMP AND REGISTER HERE

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About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

More posts by Tim