DATE:   11/13/02
CONTACT:Nancy Porter, (864) 656-5718;nporter@Clemson.edu
WRITER: Susan Bedingfield, (864) 656-3876; sbeding@clemson.edu

Clemson helps design 
finance books for youths

	CLEMSON   A Clemson University professor has helped design a 
curriculum that will impact the billions of dollars that young people 
spend each year. 
	Nancy M. Porter, interim department chair for Family and Youth
Development, and interim state program leader for Family and Consumer
Sciences, was part of a design team that created the Financial 
Champions series. 
	Clemson University was one of eight universities and two 
youth-serving organizations that contributed to the design of the 
curriculum and development of an interactive web page. 
	"The program is written in a hands-on approach with activities 
children can do on their own or in a group setting," said Porter.
	The program targets kids 12-15 years old with a curriculum that 
includes three educational guides and a companion interactive, 
web-based game, Financial Champions.
 	A 2002 survey by Jumpstart, a non-profit coalition for 
financial literacy, shows that high school seniors' understanding of 
personal finance skills have dropped from 57.3 percent in 1997 to 50.2 
percent in 2002. 
   	The first guide, "Money Fun-damentals," helps participants 
identify their money personalities. It consists of activities that 
explore problem solving, defining needs and wants, resolving 
disagreements about money, setting goals and creating budgets.
  	Activities in the second manual, "Money Moves," guide youths 
through taking care of money and selecting financial services. Other 
activities involve compounding simple interest and looking at the 
positive and negative aspects of credit. 
  	The "Helper's Guide" contains activities that enhance the youth
 guides as well as ideas for group activities, presentations, 
demonstrations, field trips, leadership opportunities and community 
service projects.
	Learning how to maintain a checking account, the effects of 
advertising and other aspects of consumerism are also included.
	The series is available for individuals, classes or youth 
organizations from the National 4-H Cooperative Curriculum System 
(4HCCS) and can be purchased from the 4HCCS website, www.n4hccs.org, 
individually for $4 or as a set for $10.75. 
	The Financial Champions game can be played free of charge at
http://pa4h.cas.psu.edu/financialchampions/For more information about 
Financial Champions contact Nancy Porter at 864-656-5718 or e-mail: 
nporter@clemson.edu.
                              End