SALEM, Ore. – Maps Credit Union has partnered with Western Oregon University to incorporate Biz Kid$ into the College of Education’s curriculum, thanks to a grant the CU received from the National Credit Union Foundation.
According to the Foundation, a Biz Kid$ Financial Education Grant kick-started the partnership between the CU and the college. It is designed to provide tomorrow’s elementary school teachers in Oregon the tools necessary to teach financial literacy in the classroom.
Teachers at WOU in the College of Education have introduced Biz Kid$ lessons to two consecutive years of future teachers. Approximately 84% of Oregon’s schools employ WOU alumni as educators, providing a large audience to be reached through this initiative.
To date, 17 lesson plans have been written by teachers and students in the WOU COE for the use of teachers. These lessons include five dual-language lesson plans that have the potential to diversify the reach and impact of the Biz Kid$ curriculum.
“Using the Biz Kid$ curriculum provides the necessary tools to help teach the future educators of Oregon the importance of financial education, and this curriculum will make such a positive impact on students’ financial futures,” Danielle Brown, director of development and donor relations at the Foundation, said in a statement.
Shane Saunders, VP of development for $532 million Maps CU, said, “This project is a wonderful intersection of our history as an educators’ credit union, our commitment to financial literacy in our community, and our partnerships with local educational institutions.”
Maps CU said it will be adding these newly created lesson plans to its website to be available for free for instructors who wish to use them. The credit union said this will help to create a stronger relationship between the schools and Maps CU as they work together to increase financial literacy in the community.
“Financial literacy has historically been an underrepresented component in public education, but as any adult can attest, it is vital part of our everyday lives. Having financial literacy lessons and resources that teachers can easily access will go a long way in building a greater literacy in this area,” said Kenneth Carano, Associate Professor/MAT Coordinator at Western Oregon University.
To showcase the Biz Kid$ lesson and website, Maps CU and WOU will participate in the annual Oregon Council of Social Studies Conference in October. Teachers and students will be able to demonstrate how they are using the curriculum in their classrooms.
“These lessons represent real-world, viable and professional plans that give educators important tools to teach financial literacy. They also reinforce the important role credit unions play in building financial literacy along with reaffirming the historical social mission of credit unions,” stated Cori Frauendiener, director of education partnerships for Maps CU. “Preparing our future teachers to teach financial literacy in the classroom is a vital component for their success.”
