• NGPF Fellow Kelly-Anne Rush of Windham High School (Maine) created a new course, Life 101, to "teach “adulting skills” such as basic etiquette, how to change a tire, the do’s and don’ts of interviewing for a job, how to put together a resume, and more." From Kelly-Anne: "Basically, if you were to ask any adult on the street what they wished they had learned in school but they didn’t learn, that’s what we’re going to teach them,” she said.

• NGPF FinCamp Chicago participant Dustin Voss featured in this article about importance of financial education for students of color. His quote, from Chicago Tribune, "In teaching finance, one part of it is gaining the vocabulary that intimidates so many. Once someone starts talking price earnings ratios or APR, people’s eyes glaze over. So one element is exposing children to that vocabulary, so they overcome that intimidation when they’re young and optimistic.”

• Gooding, the rock band that teaches financial lessons with their music, rocked the house at North Platte High School in Nebraska (Nebraska 2 News)

• Why are we still having this debate? U.S. News and World Report questions effectiveness of financial literacy programs. My take: Death by Powerpoint probably not so effective but curriculum where students "learn by doing" works. Another pet peeve of these articles is the heavy reliance on academics. How about featuring "in the trenches" educators who bring a different perspective than the ivory tower. Let me get off my soapbox now. 

• Summer financial education program serving teens from Boys and Girls Club in northern Westchester (NY) a success, according to Harrison's Hamlethub.

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.

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