FPA Gives Back By Teaching Teens About Money

SARASOTA – Thousands of teens in Sarasota and Manatee counties are better equipped to manage and spend their money wisely because of collaboration between two area nonprofit groups in public schools.
 
The Financial Planning Association (FPA) of the Suncoast is joining forces with Junior Achievement for the fourth straight year to offer scores of classroom visits and special learning days to increase teens’ understanding of economics, business, and financial success.
 
For Joe Downs, who is both pro bono director of FPA-Suncoast and a volunteer teacher, helping teens better understand money is one way to help heal the economic wounds Americans have suffered in recent years.
 
”The economy has been devastating for many citizens,“ Downs says. “Perhaps we can avoid some of the problems the economy has had in the past by teaching these students good habits now. Plus, we want to show the community that financial planners really do care.“
 
Last year, the FPA-Suncoast volunteers donated almost 100 hours by teaching at three high schools and two middle schools. Working with students for up to five consecutive sessions, the volunteers provide guidance on topics that include the ”cash versus credit“ decision, how to save money, budgeting, investing, identity fraud, and entrepreneurship.
 
”It’s the best thing I’ve been associated with in all my years in education, and that’s 27 years,“ says Dimitrije Zdravkovich, a Riverview High School economics teacher who hosts several FPA volunteer teachers annually. ”If more people realized there are programs like this out there and took advantage of them, what a difference we could make in helping kids be financially independent and creditworthy.“
 
FPA-Suncoast’s involvement with Junior Achievement is a natural fit because both groups focus on responsible financial management and supporting the entrepreneurial spirit, says Jim Brown, education program manager for Junior Achievement.
 
”This is one of our most important programs,“ Brown says. ”We’re very fortunate to have the FPA’s involvement.“
 
Participating teachers include Downs of Reality Financial Planning Services, LLC; Chris Caswell of Caswell Law Firm; Cody Laughlin of Wells Fargo Bank; George Manyak of Global Advisory Services; Tom Roberts of A New Approach Financial Planning; and Freya Zollinger of Zollinger Mediation.
 
The Financial Planning Association has 85 chapters and more than 28,000 members nationwide. Junior Achievement is a worldwide nonprofit program, reaching almost 10 million students annually, that recruits members of the business community to provide students education about real-life business and economics.
 
Contact Downs and the FPA-Suncoast by calling 941/366-5700.