Update Your Fin. Ed.

Model financial education early and often.

I’m so happy to read that more educators are understanding the need for ongoing financial education. Children are learning about money from the time they are born. They are seeing you make it, and spend it, they are hearing you talk about it, they are forming opinions how about it should be spent. This article states it beautifully

And just like inoculations that require booster shots, financial education isn’t a one-time learning. We need to demand that it be taught in high schools and colleges. And we as parents need to have the “money talk” with our kids early and often.

I couldn’t agree more. I speak at elementary schools, middle schools, high schools, and colleges for that reason. You’d be surprised how many thoughts young people have about money. We have to start early and we have to talk about financial education consistently. More than that, we have to model the behaviors that we want to instill in young people.

PEACE

Scholarship for Elementary Students

It’s never too early to start thinking about paying for college.

The Carson Scholars Fund awards $1,000 college scholarships to students in grades 4-11 who excel academically and are dedicated to serving their communities.  Students then also receive the honor of being named “Carson Scholars” and are awarded with an Olympic-sized medal and a trophy for their school to celebrate their accomplishments. Previous winners of Carson Scholarships are eligible to reapply for the scholarship annually, as long as they consistently maintain high academic standards.
 
An interested student must be nominated by the principal at his or her school to be able to compete for a Carson Scholarship. Only one student from each school is able to apply, ensuring that each nominee epitomizes academic excellence. Carson Scholars must have a GPA of 3.75 and display humanitarian qualities through community service. Scholarships are awarded solely on the basis of academic achievement and humanitarian qualities, without regard to financial need or ethnicity.

Visit the Carson Scholars Fund for more information.

Sandwich Contest for Students

I read about this contest on About.com:

Arnold Breads is giving kids the chance to win money for college and for the classroom by sharing their favorite sandwich in their Best in Class Sandwich Challenge Contest.
To enter, submit your favorite original sandwich recipe. Entries will be judged on the basis of their originality, healthiness, and how easy they are to make.

Each of the four grand-prize winners will receive a $1,500 US Savings Paper I Bond in the to use for continuing education and a $5,000 check for the winner’s school to be used in the winner’s classroom. Homeschooler’s may also enter. Check for $5,000 will be donated to charity of the winner’s choice.

Entry is open to students aged 6 – 18 who live in the following US states: ME, VT, MA, RI, CT, NJ, DE, SC, AL, GA, SD, MN, WI, IA, MO, IL, IN, KY, MI, OH, WV, PA, MD, FL, VA, NC, DC and NY. If the winner is home-schooled, the $5,000 check will be presented to a charity of the winner’s choice. Enter as many times as you like before May 4, 2009, so long as each recipe is unique.