finEDge newsletter winter 2021

UChicago Financial Education Initiative

Winter 2021 newsletter

NEWSLETTER | WINTER 2021

TEACHER SPOTLIGHT
Students Are Invested in Their Own Learning

Tiffany Johnson discusses how she uses finEDge.

"Black and brown students have not had the same access to information on how to build generational wealth like their more affluent peers. This course is a step in the right direction to eliminating financial illiteracy in those under-resourced communities. It teaches students about banks, currency exchanges, predatory loans, interest, and credit but, most importantly, how to make sound financial decisions." — Tiffany Johnson

PROJECT UPDATE
Teachers Connecting to Teachers

Teacher on web conference

This school year, the finEDge team has been holding teacher-to-teacher sharing sessions on a bimonthly basis. These sessions allow teachers an opportunity to share strategies, routines, and tools they have found most effective and useful for teaching in virtual, hybrid, and in-person environments.

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION
Our Approach to Investing

finEDge investing module

GameStop. Stonks. Short squeezes. Over the past month there has been extensive discussion about what we should be teaching students regarding investing. Lots of opinions have been put forth, often based on an individual’s personal experience investing in the stock market, but we wanted to take time to share how investing is addressed in finEDge, a research-based, single-semester, high school financial education program, which includes a module on investing.

WHAT WE'RE READING
Career Which Post-Secondary Loans Pay Off?

Image of Chicago Map

Is it worth it to take out loans to pay for post-secondary education? The short answer is: it depends. Like many major financial decisions, the “right” thing to do is as complex and varied as the individuals making them. And decision-making about student loans can be approached from various frameworks.

Adam Looney of the Brookings Institution examines this question in his November 2020 report, Department of Education’s College Scorecard shows where student loans pay off… and where they don’t.

IN REAL LIFE
Pursue What You Think Is Best For Your Career

Omar Fernandez shares how finEDge impacted him financial decision-making.

"My biggest financial decision was choosing which college to attend. It was an investment in my future. I had multiple offers from multiple schools. They were all different; some schools offered me a full ride. I had to figure out the schools and programs that best fit my goals and made the most sense for me."
— Omar Fernandez

CAREER CORNER
Satisfaction from Making Clients Happy

Dennis Neva discusses his job as a independent master stylist.

"Being a stylist is a great career for someone who doesn’t want a traditional nine-to-five job. I didn’t think I would be happy at a desk job all day. There are many different ways you can make money if you need to and you don’t have to do one thing." — Dennis Neva

FOR FAMILIES AND FRIENDS
Let's Talk Cents!

Talking Cents cards

Join us for the Virtual Money Smart Week 2021 from Saturday, April 10 – Saturday, April 17, 2021. This week-long free virtual campaign aims to help people better manage their personal finances with a focus on those hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative team will be hosting a session on Saturday, April 10th, 2021 at 10:00am CT. The session will include easy strategies and simple tools you can use to start these important conversations in a fun and comfortable manner. The event can be viewed at: www.moneysmartweek.org. Check the site closer to the event for a link to our session.

LOOKING AHEAD
finEDge Available for 2021–22 School Year

finEDge student shows excitement during class

Teach finEDge and help your students navigate financial decisions with confidence. finEDge is available to schools across the country for the 2021–22 school year through the Kendall Hunt Publishing Company.