Grant to promote financial literacy among Nebraska students

The Nebraska Council on Economic Education at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has received a $25,000 grant from the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance that will provide financial literacy education and student programming for Nebraska teachers and students.

The grant will fund:

* The Nebraska Stock Market Game (see www.nebraskacouncil.org/smg),

* The Nebraska Finance Challenge (see www.financechallenge.org),

* Teacher post-graduate education,

* The distribution of 220 curriculum guides for teachers in middle and high schools.

"Financial literacy has never been more important than it is today," said Roger Butters, president of the council. "Many of the challenges our state and country face are the result of poor financial literacy. By funding this grant, the Nebraska Department of Banking and Finance helps ensure that today's youth will have the skills and tools necessary to become the dynamic citizens, entrepreneurs, workers and leaders that our state needs."

The Nebraska Council on Economic Education is a nonprofit organization housed within the UNL College of Business Administration that has a separate board of trustees composed of state civic and business leaders. It obtains most of its resources from private contributions and grants that fund statewide projects to improve economic and financial literacy through its five affiliated centers for economic education at UNL, the University of Nebraska at Omaha, the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Wayne State College and Chadron State College.

The mission of the council is to ensure that all students from kindergarten through high school receive a solid education in economics. This work helps students become more effective consumers, workers, savers, investors and citizens in the complex economy of Nebraska and the United States. Additional information on the Nebraska Council on Economic Education may be found at www.nebraskacouncil.org.