News from the Support Center: Young People Learn Value of Money at Youth Financial Education Festival (5/17/2010)

The Youth Financial Education Festival included both finance and fun!

Young people from across North Carolina were motivated to learn the value of a dollar and much more thanks to the 1st Youth Financial Education (YFE) Festival organized by The Support Center.  

The Youth Financial Education Festival was held on Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at the Durham Bull’s Athletic Park from 1pm-4pm.  The festival was dedicated to raising awareness and educating North Carolina’s youth on the importance of becoming wise money managers and responsible financial investors.

An official proclamation was issued by Mayor William V. "Bill" Bell and presented at the start of the festival by Durham City Councilman Farad Ali. After a performance by the Walltown Children's Theatre, featured speaker Vince Shorb, founder of the National Youth Financial Educators Council, provided a motivational exchange with the more than 200 participants.  "The Youth Financial Education Festival was an entertaining event that gave youth a unique way to pick up practical financial skills," said Shorb. "The baseball park venue set the stage for a day of fun and hands on learning experiences.  Because of Kim Knox and the Support Center, the attendees took away financial literacy lessons that can have a positive impact throughout their lives."   

The YFE Festival was organized to provide young people with a fun opportunity to begin to gain the education and assistance needed to teach them how to make sound financial decisions. "Learning to manage one's personal finances is essential at the start of your adult life," said Kimberly Knox, Director of Marketing and Youth Financial Education. "Our program gives young people these financial life skills as they're beginning adolescence, so that they may have a head start at implementing them into their daily routines."

"Thank you for the great day that you planned for my students!  They had a great time at the festival! I appreciate the hard work that your office put forth to make this such a wonderful experience.  We wore our shirts to school on Wednesday with great pride for numerous reasons," said Brenda Griffin, a teacher at Southeast Elementary School who attend the event. 

The YFE Festival featured a financial board game tournament sponsored by Local Government Federal Credit Union and a drawing for two computers donated by sponsor Big Brothers Big Sisters.   Partnering organizations incorporated interactive financial games into their exhibits along the ballpark concourse for the 3-hour event.  Participating in the festivities were, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Standing Inside the Gap, Southeast Elementary School (Kinston, NC), Rogers-Herr Middle School, W.G. Pearson Middle School, Durham Parks and Recreation, First Legacy Community Credit Union (Charlotte), NC Institute for Minority Economic Development, Walltown Children's Theatre, Generations Community Credit Union and the National Youth Financial Educators Council.

(Note: you may follow the activities of the Support Center and its Youth Financial Education activities by joining their Facebook page!)