2010 Teach Children to Save Day
Tuesday & Wednesday, April 27th & 28th
More than 550 banker volunteers taught an estimated 16,800 students in 115 public, private, and parochial schools throughout Delaware as the state celebrated its 12th Annual Teach Children to Save Day on April 27th and 28th. Governor Jack Markell proclaimed the week of April 26th “Delaware Teach Children to Save Week” in a ceremony held on April 27th at the Fairview Elementary School, in Dover. The following day, Delaware First Lady Carla Markell taught a lesson at Eastside Charter School, in Wilmington.
Marcia Harrison, Principal of Fairview Elementary School, holds the Teach Children to Save Proclamation. Joining her are (l to r): Phil Martino, Capital School District Board Member, Bank Commission Robert Glen, Dr. Tina Hoff, Asst. School Superintendant; Judy Austin, CEEE, Dr. Bonnie Meszaros, CEEE; Governor Markell; David Bakerian, DBA; and, Raymond Paylor, President, Capital School District Board of Education.
This year’s lesson was based on the new children’s book The Great Investo and the Disastrous Decisionator. The book illustrates the concept of making wise saving and spending choices. The book was written and illustrated by the DBA’s Greg Koseluk. Dr. Bonnie Meszaros, Associate Director of the University of Delaware’s Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) and Judy Austin, also of the CEEE served as the educational consultants on the book. The book is a follow up to last year’s book, The Great Investo and the Astounding, Abounding, Compounding Machine, which taught the concept of compound interest. The Disastrous Decisionator book was made possible in part by a grant from ING DIRECT. Both books are available for purchase at this link:
For the third consecutive year, training was conducted through an on-line video, produced by Never-Dull Productions, and sponsored by VISA, Inc. The video may be viewed at this page:
Teach Children to Save Day Training
Teach Children to Save Day - History
First held in Delaware in 1998, Teach Children to Save Day (TCTSD) is part of a nationwide financial literacy
effort that works to educate elementary school students throughout Delaware, while targeting those from low- to
moderate-income communities, on the importance of saving as the basis for future financial security. The primary
goal is to foster sound financial practices in the students, with a secondary goal of informing and influencing the
older generations on the benefits of saving. Through the program, children are encouraged from a young age to
develop the habits that will help ensure their future economic independence. Take-home materials in both English
and Spanish are also provided for students to share with their parents. The materials developed in the program are
also distributed statewide through the State's public library system, increasing their impact even further.
The annual Teach Children to Save Day program is usually held on the last Tuesday of April, preceded by a special kick-off event featuring the Governor.
The Delaware Bankers Association Financial Education Alliance (DBA/FEA) works with the University of Delaware's Center for Economic Education and Entrepreneurship (CEEE) to administer this program in the First State. The age-appropriate curricula were developed by the CEEE to meet State economic competency standards. The DBA/FEA helps to raise the funding for the program, and assists in the coordination and training of the volunteer faculty comprised of bankers. Through financial education grants, the DBA/FEA also develops and distributes the materials used on TCTSD, including the bilingual take-home financial education information piece for the children to share with their parents and other adults. The DBA/FEA also pays for the books used in each classroom, which are then donated to the school following the event. The CEEE pairs the volunteer bank employees with the classroom teachers and students.
On the actual day of the event, volunteer bankers, organized by the DBA/FEA and trained by the CEEE, visit schools throughout Delaware. The volunteers teach students the importance of saving, the basics of financial education, and the benefits of prudent money management.
The DBA/FEA's Teach Children to Save Day program has consistently been recognized as one of the best in the nation by the American Bankers Association.