“DISCOVERING”
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A PATHWAY TO FINANCIAL SUCCESS
H. W. Byers Instructor Receives Grant Award by Michelle Taylor
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olet Pierce, an instructor at H. W. Byers High School in Marshall County School District, recently “Discovered” the Pathway to Financial Success by receiving a $27,200 grant from Discover. The company awards money to instructors to assist with teaching financial savviness to students. The intent of the grants awarded is to promote smarter financial decision making and goal setting by students. Over the next five years, Discover plans to make a $10 million investment in financial education by awarding these grants. Pierce learned of this grant opportunity by attending the 2013 Focus on the Economy conference hosted by the Mississippi Council on Economic Education and the United States Federal Reserve Board. All educators who teach financial education are invited to attend the conference. After hearing of the grant, Pierce returned to her classroom and began gathering information to complete the application process. She submitted the application in January 2014. In June 2014, she was notified that $27,200 had been awarded for promoting and educating students and parents in personal finance. Pierce hopes to make a lasting impact on families, saying, “Financial
Colet Pierce education is a need in my school because most of my students have no one in their home to help guide them when dealing with financial situations. Many of my students’ families do not use banks because they have never been taught the importance of having those skills. They simply live paycheck to paycheck or on credit cards when the paycheck is gone. Then when the bill is due, they only pay the minimum balance due each month and never get the balance paid off. It becomes a never-ending cycle and usually continues their entire lifetime. By educating the children, hopefully there will be an end to this cycle and help the parents become more aware of how to successfully live within their means and/or save for their future. We also hope to produce more financially savvy citizens as students graduate and move into the workforce.”
When asked how she would use the grant, Mrs. Pierce said she planned to purchase 28 iPads and a variety of financial applications that will supplement teaching the curriculum. Some of the applications would enable students to participate in simulations that promote real-life situations and enhance understanding of money management, credit, investing, and earning income. Two specific programs she mentioned purchasing were the Dave Ramsey Series and Financial Fitness for Life. She also plans to use the funds to pay entry fees for her students to compete in the Stock Market Game that is sponsored by the Mississippi Council on Economic Education. The grant will assist her in attending the National JumpStart Conference in November. Finally, the grant will provide the opportunity to host workshops for students and parents to learn better ways of handling their finances. Pierce teaches high school financial technology and STEM courses. She is a National Board Certified teacher and has over 20 years of classroom experience. She is a Master Teacher of Economics and is IC3 certified. To learn more about the Pathway to Financial Success grant, visit pathwaytofinancialsuccess.org.
Fall 2014 CONNECTIONS 33