2012 Financial Literacy Leadership Award

The Tennessee Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy was awarded the 2012 Financial Literacy Leadership Award by the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission.. The award gave recognition for outstanding leadership in Tennessee financial literacy initiatives. Tennessee Jump$tart co-presidents Kristina Canan, Knoxville TVA Employees Credit Union, and Dr. Ann Berry, UT Extension, received the award from Lt. Governor Ron Ramsey at the Commission?s first annual awards program April 10, 2012 at the Tennessee State Capitol. UT Extension has been an active Coalition partner and Board Member since the Coalition began financial education efforts over ten years ago.

Youth Financial Education Programs

On My Own©
On My Own is a fun and engaging financial education simulation for junior and senior high youth. Students imagine that they are adults with the responsibility of being the major income provider for a household that may include a spouse and/or children. Using a hypothetical occupation and income, participants work through a month of household purchases including housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, food, child care, clothing, entertainment and unexpected expenses. The program reaches over 20,000 young Tennesseans each year.

Love Your Money©
Love Your Money (http://www.loveyourmoney.org) is a multi-state college student financial education program coordinated by The University of Tennessee Extension working with four other major public universities. It encourages students to build solid financial skills early in life through an Internet site with online course, marketing and face-to-face support for students. The program was made possible by a generous grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

Youth Tennessee Saves
Youth Tennessee Saves programs encourage young Tennesseans to develop good money management habits early in life. Through programs such as “Spend, Save & Share,” “Wants vs. Needs” and “Are You a Spender or a Saver,” UT Extension teaches basic financial skills and the importance of starting savings early. In conjunction with America/Tennessee Saves Week each year, more than 1,000 youngsters design and craft savings banks, displaying them at Piggy Bank Pageants throughout the state.

NEFE High School Financial Planning Program®
UT Extension trains high school teachers and partners in the use of the NEFE HSFPP curricula for teaching senior high students the basics of financial success. The curricula, including student workbooks is provided free by the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) and addresses the educational components mandated for the half-semester of personal finance required for high school graduation in Tennessee.

LifeSmarts & LifeSkills
LifeSmarts--the ultimate consumer challenge--is an educational opportunity that develops the consumer and marketplace knowledge and skills of teenagers in a fun way and rewards them for this knowledge. The online program complements curricula already in place in high schools and can be used as an activity for classes, groups, clubs, and community organizations. Highest scoring teams in online competition face off at a state contest each year, competing for a trip to the national contest. The program is sponsored in Tennessee by the First Tennessee Foundation and the Consumer Affairs Division of the Tennessee Department of Commerce and Insurance.
LifeSkills is an interactive learning activity for middle school children usually held in conjunction with state/regional fair competition across Tennessee. It teaches life skills in health, nutrition, finances, design and family interaction.

Money Crunch©
Money Crunch is a financial management course designed to teach young employees, aged 18 to 24, how to budget, build wealth, plan for their goals, and save money for investment. Teaching materials for educators are available online at http://moneycrunch.org. The program was made possible by a generous grant from the FINRA Investor Education Foundation.

Adult Programs

Tennessee Saves
Tennessee Saves programs engage statewide partners in encouraging Tennesseans to better manage their finances, make more savvy financial decisions, avoid frauds and scams and save and build wealth over their working years for a stable and secure financial future. Through Tennessee Saves programming, Extension agents reach over

Personal Finance Training for Teachers
UT Extension is an approved provider by the Department of Education of the required training for teachers in Personal Finance. Extension educators offer two-day workshops across the state to provide the 14 hours of training to meet the employment requirement for teachers to teach personal finance. Additional one-day workshops offer advanced topics.

Homebuyer Education
Extension agents across the state offer THDA-Certified programs to prepare first time homebuyers to successfully manage home purchase and ownership.

Bankruptcy Counseling and Debtor Education
Certified bankruptcy counseling is provided to help individuals and families assess their assets and liabilities and determine an appropriate course of action to discharge debt. Debtor education is provided to help people who have filed personal bankruptcy acquire skills for more effective financial management. Both Bankruptcy Counseling and Debtor Education programs meet the U.S. Trustees Office’s pre- and post-bankruptcy filing requirements.

TN Asset Abuse Toolkit
Credible information and resources to disabled adults, seniors and caregivers who want to learn how to recognize and avoid financial abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Ditch the Pitch©
Peer education to help elderly citizens develop skill and know-how to prevent financial fraud.


Tennessee Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy
A non-profit organization comprised of individuals and organizations representing business, government and education who have joined together to improve the personal financial literacy of Tennessee's youth.

For more information about the UT Extension Family Economics programs, please contact your local County Extension Representative