Iowa Ag Connection - Workshop Helps Educators Teach Financial Survival Skills

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Workshop Helps Educators Teach Financial Survival Skills
Iowa Ag Connection - 08/13/2018

Reality TV often features contestants demonstrating skills as they live in the woods, race through an obstacle course or compete in challenges on an island. However, in the reality of everyday living, financial literacy skills are far more important for survival, says Carol Ehlers, a human sciences specialist with Iowa State University Extension and Outreach.

Female student with handful of money by mocker_bat/stock.adobe.com."Financial literacy skills are important at any age, but the younger you develop the skills, the more time you have to reap the benefits. When we teach teenagers personal financial skills, they gain a solid foundation for a lifetime of financial independence and decision-making," said Ehlers, who specializes in family finance.

Ehlers is offering a workshop for educators to learn about the High School Financial Planning Program, which aligns with Iowa's Core Curriculum and 21st century financial literacy skills. The workshop is open to high school and middle school educators who teach business, personal finance, family and consumer sciences, social studies or math. Home school educators also are welcome to attend. The workshop will be held from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Sept. 18 at Prairie Lakes AEA, 824 Flindt Drive, Storm Lake.

All workshop expenses are being paid by a grant from the National Endowment for Financial Education; however, registration is required to attend. Register for the workshop online at http://bit.ly/hsfp9935.

"We will look at strategies for handling and managing debt, how to use various financial services, how to create a personal insurance plan, ways to examine how choice of career and lifestyle will affect personal financial planning, and much more," Ehlers said.

The High School Financial Planning Program is a vetted curriculum from the National Endowment for Financial Education, and the workshop has been reviewed by the Department of Education Financial Literacy Network.

"A 2016 Council for Economic Education study, which included Iowa, showed no improvement in student economic education in recent years and slow growth in personal finance education. Thus, educating and training educators on financial skills using the High School Financial Planning Program will be extremely beneficial to all Iowa communities," Ehlers said.

Learn more about the High School Financial Planning Program at www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/high-school-financial-planning. ISU Extension and Outreach human sciences specialists in family finance offer workshops for Iowa educators throughout the year in locations around the state.

"Financial literacy survival skills are important for all Iowans," Ehlers added. "Visit your ISU Extension and Outreach county office to learn about local programs. Visit us online to find finance programs for families, volunteers and professionals. Our Extension Store has publications about spending plans, investing, using credit, stretching your dollar, buying a house, planning for retirement and more."

Iowans also may sign up to receive helpful information from the ISU Extension and Outreach Money Tip$ blog.

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