Students in Free Enterprise teach check writing in Spanish
Jane Krienke
Issue date: 2/19/09 Section: News
Students in Free Enterprise is reaching out to the Spanish-speaking community in Milan, Mo., by teaming up with Hablantes Unidos to teach the children in the Milan C-2 school district fundamental financial skills.
The new SIFE program called El Cheque Por Favor! is a twist on the original program, Check Please! Project coordinator Amanda Kersting said the main concepts of the after-school program include writing and recording checks, opening a bank account, debit and credit card terminology and what debit and credit cards are. These concepts are staying the same, and the only change is that the presentation will be conducted in Spanish, Kersting said.
SIFE has tried to run this program before, but it was unsuccessful. Kersting said she hopes this year will be different. She said her group plans on measuring the success of the project using skills learned from SIFE.
"A big part of SIFE is that you have to do a pre-test and post-test or find some way of measuring your results," Kersting said. "So we're going to start out giving a pre-test which will be basically a blank check and a few multiple choice questions about some of the concepts we're going to cover … Then, at the end, we'll give a post-test to see how much they've learned."
The program does not have a set starting date, but until then, SIFE will be training members of Hablantes Unidos on how to present the financial concepts, Kersting said.
"I have worked on the project Check Please! for three years," senior Kelly Peterson said. "It was started as a basic project to introduce children to the concept of check writing. I think it's a good introduction to how money works."
SIFE frequently goes to Brashear Elementary school in Brashear, Mo., to present programs like Check Please! Wendy Kerby, Brashear's Tiger Pride Director, said she thinks all SIFE's programs have been very beneficial for the children who attend them.
"Every time they come, the kids always look forward to seeing them," Kerby said. "Not only do they teach cool concepts, but they bring wonderful prizes and interact one-on-one with the kids, and it's usually just a really good time."
Kerby said the benefits of SIFE's programs go beyond simply teaching fundamental financial skills. She said she finds the personal bond the elementary students develop with college students to be a very valuable addition to the program.
"To see the effort these [college students] go to and the fun things they bring with them just specifically for our elementary kid[s], that's really self-esteem building," Kerby said. "I think it's a really good idea to give these kids sound money management skills. I think this is something to help support what teachers and parents are already teaching their children."
The new SIFE program called El Cheque Por Favor! is a twist on the original program, Check Please! Project coordinator Amanda Kersting said the main concepts of the after-school program include writing and recording checks, opening a bank account, debit and credit card terminology and what debit and credit cards are. These concepts are staying the same, and the only change is that the presentation will be conducted in Spanish, Kersting said.
SIFE has tried to run this program before, but it was unsuccessful. Kersting said she hopes this year will be different. She said her group plans on measuring the success of the project using skills learned from SIFE.
"A big part of SIFE is that you have to do a pre-test and post-test or find some way of measuring your results," Kersting said. "So we're going to start out giving a pre-test which will be basically a blank check and a few multiple choice questions about some of the concepts we're going to cover … Then, at the end, we'll give a post-test to see how much they've learned."
The program does not have a set starting date, but until then, SIFE will be training members of Hablantes Unidos on how to present the financial concepts, Kersting said.
"I have worked on the project Check Please! for three years," senior Kelly Peterson said. "It was started as a basic project to introduce children to the concept of check writing. I think it's a good introduction to how money works."
SIFE frequently goes to Brashear Elementary school in Brashear, Mo., to present programs like Check Please! Wendy Kerby, Brashear's Tiger Pride Director, said she thinks all SIFE's programs have been very beneficial for the children who attend them.
"Every time they come, the kids always look forward to seeing them," Kerby said. "Not only do they teach cool concepts, but they bring wonderful prizes and interact one-on-one with the kids, and it's usually just a really good time."
Kerby said the benefits of SIFE's programs go beyond simply teaching fundamental financial skills. She said she finds the personal bond the elementary students develop with college students to be a very valuable addition to the program.
"To see the effort these [college students] go to and the fun things they bring with them just specifically for our elementary kid[s], that's really self-esteem building," Kerby said. "I think it's a really good idea to give these kids sound money management skills. I think this is something to help support what teachers and parents are already teaching their children."
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