Economics Extravaganza!
75 North Alabama Teachers Learn Personal Finance and Math Connections at Fourth Annual Alabama Economics Extravaganza
Check out the pictures on our Facebook page - Alabama Council on Economic Education!
Huntsville, Alabama. For the second consecutive year, the Alabama Council on Economic Education (ACEE) held a daylong training event on January 17th, 2012 for North Alabama teachers. Seventy-five teachers and other attending educators learned about economics, personal finance and math and economics connections.
Lead sponsor, Wells Fargo, sent Lisa Abbott and Chris Russell, Huntsville financial advisors, to welcome participants. Wells Fargo made a generous contribution to host the event as the kick-off for the National Personal Finance Challenge, presented in Alabama by ACEE and endorsed by State Treasurer Young Boozer. As he introduced the advisors, Johnnie Aycock, ACEE Executive Director observed that “…both ACEE and public school systems are dependent on the private sector to generate the wealth necessary to provide the resources we need to train the next generation of Alabama children how to succeed in economics and personal finance.”
ACEE staff and guest presenters offered ten different sessions on economics and personal finance. Teachers received valuable, free curriculum including Virtual Economics 4.0--1,200 lesson plans on a flash drive. A highlight of the event was the first inaugural session of Teaching Financial Crises, the newest national curriculum co-authored by Cheryl Morrow, Economics Teacher, Spain Park High School.
Two area teachers presented seminars and “Best Practices” to attendees. Sponsored by The Boeing Company, Penny Hill, Mountain Gap Elementary School, and Elisa Harris, Hartselle Junior High School, explained their favorite techniques to bring economics alive to their students. With this training, both Hill and Harris have completed a year long, intensive course of study in economics to qualify as an ACEE certified Master Teachers of Economics. Dan Lord, Education Representative of the Alabama Securities Commission, taught teachers about the essentials of investing and offered his trademark session “spending to save.”
Teachers from 18 different public and private school systems attended from as far away as Montgomery. They included teachers from 3-12 in economics, career technology, math, and gifted. Sponsors of the event include Wells Fargo, The Boeing Company, Investor Protection Trust, Sterne Agee, and the Council for Economic Education.
ACEE Program Coordinator Wanda McAbee showed 27 teachers how to participate in the Alabama Personal Finance Challenge sponsored by Wells Fargo and endorsed by State Treasurer Young Boozer. Every teacher received a copy of “Hands on Banking,” the Wells Fargo personal finance curriculum that helps students learn to take charge of their own finances to reach their goals. From opening their first bank account, to building credit, learning investing essentials, or owning a small business, “Hands on Banking,” offers all the basic money tools, skills, and information teachers and students need.
Guest presenters included Dan Lord of the Alabama Securities Commission, and Dr. Sarah Culver, Director, UAB Center for Economic Education. Crystal Thomas, Oakwood Adventist Academy, one of just twenty-four teachers nationwide selected for the International Study Tour to South Africa, gave a travelogue and snapshots of South Africa along with her insights about the system of education.
Partners in the event included the Alabama Securities Commission, State Treasurer Young Boozer, the UAB Center for Economic Education, and the Madison County Board of Education Professional Development Center. Attending teachers earned five contact hours to help them retain their certification to teach.
