Money Smart Training for Trainers Held in Little Rock

The Little Rock branch of the St. Louis Fed and the Arkansas Jump$tart Coalition co-hosted a Money Smart workshop at the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service in Little Rock. The Jump$tart Coalition is a non-profit organization of individuals and organizations representing the Federal Reserve, business, government and educational institutions that have joined together to improve the personal financial literacy of Arkansas youth.

Michael D. Powers, community affairs specialist for the Federal Depository Insurance Corporation (FDIC), led the Money Smart "train the trainer" session. The FDIC created the Money Smart financial education program to help individuals with little or no banking experience to establish healthy banking relationships, begin building assets and secure a better future for themselves and their families. Powers said that Money Smart has been used in schools in Arkansas since 2001.

“Several of our [Jump$start] members thought the Money Smart materials would be a useful tool in promoting financial literacy at our workshops and travels around the state,” said Jeannette Bennett, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis - Memphis Branch economic education specialist. “We are always seeking ways to improve financial literacy education.”

Thirty-two businesspeople and University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension agents attended the day-long event. The two co-chairs of the Arkansas Jump$start Coalition, Billy Britt and Curtis Arnold also spoke. Britt, Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis - Little Rock Branch economic education specialist, talked to the group about the Federal Reserve System and its functions. He described services and materials about economic and financial literacy that are available to teachers and other groups. Arnold discussed cardratings.com, a web site focused on educating consumers on the best credit cards and credit practices.