Specialist Receives Grants to Promote Personal Finance Education

Normal, AL---Feb. 3, 2004---Alabama Securities Commission Director Joseph P. Borg presented four grants totaling $15,000 to promote personal finance education in Alabama during a ceremony Jan. 28 at  the Junior Achievement of Greater Birmingham, Inc. office in Birmingham.

Two $2,500 awards were presented to Dr. Bernice Wilson, Alabama Cooperative Extension System  resource management specialist, for her role as state coordinator of Lifesmarts and for her participation in  Extension’s Annual Family Conference and the Successful Aging Initiative. Other honorees included Buffy Murphy, board president of Bancorp South for Alabama Jump$tart Coalition, and Dr. Thomas N. Rains, president of the Alabama Council on Economic Education, who is also a board member for the Alabama Jump$tart Coalition. Each awardee received a total of $5,000.

“The commission is absolutely delighted to make these presentations of funds on behalf of the Investor Protection Trust to promote personal finance and investor education to a wide variety of citizens, including youth, seniors and minority groups throughout the state of Alabama,” Borg said. “As our nation is facing a financial literacy crisis, these monies, which come from endowments, fines and other sources, will be used to buy materials and training, which will reach Alabamians in the near future.”

Wilson is the state coordinator for Alabama’s Lifesmarts program, which is being implemented through Extension’s Urban Affairs and New Nontraditional Programs unit at Alabama A&M University. Lifesmarts is an educational program that develops the consumer and marketplace knowledge and skills of teenagers in grades 9 to 12. The program works like a game show runs similar to a game-show competition. Teams of five teens compete in district and state matches. The state winners go on to regional and national competitions to vie for the national Lifesmarts title. Lifesmarts complements any personal finance curricula in high schools and can be used in classroom or community setting. 

Wilson was also honored for her participation in the Annual Family Conference that helps strengthen urban families and the Successful Aging Initiative and Senior Expo coordinated by Extension consultant attorney Kevin Crenshaw. Extension specialists who are experts on issues concerning urban families alternate in chairing the Annual Family Conference. Wilson is expected to chair the event again in the next two years.

Both the Family Conference and the Successful Aging Initiative cover topics such as financial security in later life, what women need to know about money and retirement, the financial exploitation of the elderly, and the basics of financial planning. 

“The Alabama Securities Commission is proud to be a member of the Jump$tart Coalition because this organization provides a common ground for government, business and other organizations to promote personal finance initiatives to the youth of Alabama,” Borg said in closing the award ceremonies. “There will be more available grant opportunities from the Investor Protection Trust in the future. These are funds that come from fines and legal settlements in the securities industry and have been specifically earmarked for the promotion of personal finance. Also, I would like to commend the Alabama Cooperative Extension and the Alabama Council on Economic Education, who are partnering to help teach personal finance to youth, teachers, seniors and a wide representation of socio-economic areas in an effort to benefit all citizens of Alabama. A special thank you goes to other federal agencies and business partners for providing financial or resource support to promote personal finance literacy and education in Alabama.”

For more information about personal finance education or the grant award, contact Dr. Bernice Wilson at (256) 372-4969. For information on the Successful Aging Initiative and Senior Expo, contact Kevin Crenshaw (256) 372-4939, and for information on the 2004 Annual Family Conference, contact Dr. Donnie Cook at (256) 372-4983.

The Investor Protection Trust exists to promote non-commercial investor education. The Trust supports pluralism and equal opportunity in its grant making and in its internal policies. The opportunities that prospective grantee organizations provide for minorities and women are considered in evaluating proposals.  Activities supported by grants and program-related investments must be charitable, educational or scientific, as defined under the appropriate provisions of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code and Treasury Regulations. The foundation monitors grants through regular financial and narrative reports submitted by the grantee.   For more information go to http://www.investorprotection.org.

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