CEEE has been helping connect Gooding with Delaware schools for some time now and contacted Howard about the possibility of hosting the event.
“I just think this is amazing; I wish every student in the state could see it,” said Gail Colbert, personal finance coordinator at CEEE.
Students didn’t seem quite sure what to expect but quickly warmed to the act, clapping along and cheering Gooding’s instrumental solos and feats like playing two guitars at the same time.
After the set, Gooding switched into a fast-paced monologue on responsible finances, explaining his own journey from a wannabe rich rock star to a grownup who realized that a band is a small business.
“As much fun as it is to get lost in the music, I had to make a budget, I had to realize that I have to pay accountants, lawyers, manager, marketing, gas, food, hotels,” Gooding told the Howard students gathered in the auditorium.
He emphasized that many famous people don’t, in fact, have finances figured out despite their vast incomes.
Afterward, he fielded questions from the students.
Gooding’s group tours throughout the country and beyond and has contributed music to several hit TV shows and movies. During this trip, they visited other Delaware high schools, including Smyrna, Concord, and St. Mark’s.
High schoolers compete for state bragging rights
Newark Charter School won its third straight state championship on April 24th.
The high school students weren’t competing on an athletic field but testing their financial knowledge and skills.
The 15th annual Delaware High School Personal Finance Challenge was sponsored by Bank of America and hosted by CEEE.
Almost all of the teams use CEEE’s Keys to Financial Success curriculum, developed by CEEE and the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia and provided free to participating Delaware schools. The competition is a chance for students to demonstrate what they’ve learned, have some fun and win prizes.
The students battled it out at the Executive Banquet and Conference Center in Newark. Thirteen teams from eight schools took part, for a total of 60 students and teachers. Newark Charter led throughout, closely trailed by Appoquinimink. These two teams faced off in a final, quiz-style round, buzzing in to answer questions about the tax system, financial regulation, and insurance that might stump many adults.
The teams started out trading points, but Newark Charter surged ahead. Appoquinimink staged a comeback, but Newark Charter finally pulled away to seal the victory.
“It’s a day out, it’s a competition, it’s fun, it’s showing what you learned,” said Mike Renn, a social studies teacher at Newark Charter who led the team. He’s a graduate of Lerner’s Master of Arts in economics and entrepreneurship for educators who has taught CEEE’s financial curriculum for more than 20 years at different schools.
“It’s one of those things that no one teaches but everyone assumes that you’ll learn,” he said of financial literacy. Since kids come from a variety of backgrounds, it’s kind of important that they get the ideas of how finance works, how interest rates work, how credit works, how the choices you make today impact all these things.”
The Newark Charter team members included William Soyer, Michael Zerenner, Thaddeus Gore, and Kourtney Warren.
The winners earned $500 each, and the second place team took home $250 each.
Other events
April also saw the wrap-up of the Foundations of Financial Literacy training for Delaware teachers. Meanwhile, CEEE staff prepared for May’s Meaningful Economic Competition for grades 3-5, June’s Siegfried Youth Leadership Program Economics Summer Camp and July’s Economics and Personal Finance Teacher Conference, among other activities.
“Knowing that our personal finance and economic programs, trainings and resources support teachers and give valuable experiences to students is what keeps us motivated during this busy time,” Bacon said.
