Financial Fitness for Kids in second year

Financial Fitness For Kids (FFFK) a three-year Chicago City Treasurer’s project continues to expand and engage students.  In this, the second year, the program has more than doubled, increasing the teachers involved from 38 to 87.  Kindergarten, First, Third and Fourth grade classrooms are involved.

The program involves pre-testing students, teaching five or more lessons from the Financial Fitness for Life curriculum during the school year and then post-testing the students.  Schools can opt to pre-test and post-test “control classrooms” that are not involved in the program for an additional stipend.  Teachers also have the option to submit lesson implementation plans for teacher stipends.  Teachers choosing to submit student work from the implemented lessons, and attending the required number of meetings, will be eligible for the drawing for a $500 professional development reimbursement. 

Support for the teachers includes monthly 1½ hour Implementation meetings and an on-line Blackboard training site which is accessible 24 hours a day.  The teachers, who received a copy of their curriculum at training workshops in the fall, have opportunities to network, and benefit from additional resources available for reference at the UIC Center for Economic Education.

“My students are eager to learn about economics every day.  When I finished unit one, I skipped a few days and completed my other reading in social studies.  You would not believe what my students reaction was, ‘It is boring to do this.  Why don’t we learn about saving and banking?’  Thanks to the program that I have these materials to teach my students.  We are grateful for your support.”
Zarina Qadir, 4th grade teacher at Kilmer Elementary School

Program Partners:

• Office of the City Treasurer-Chicago
• Chicago Public Schools
• Illinois Council on Economic Education
• UIC Center for Economic Education.

Program Sponsors:

• Albany Bank*
• New Amsterdam Partners*
• Ariel Capital Management*
• Attucks Asset Management
• Bank of America*
• Cabrera Capital Markets, Inc.
• Dearborn Partners*
• Great Lake Advisors
• Harris Investment Management*
• J.P. Morgan Chase
• J.P. Morgan Chase Foundation
• Morgan Stanley Investment
• Smith, Graham & Co.

*Contributor for 2006-2007 school year