Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy
An Independent Affiliate of the Jump$tart Coalition
The Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition encourages the development and implementation of programs to educate young people about personal financial management and responsibility. This includes convening conferences for students and training sessions for teachers; supporting financial education programs in-school, after-school and in conjunction with community partners. The coalition also is working to:
- Build awareness of the need for financial education for young people
- Research barriers to financial preparedness, or capacity or independence
- Provide an inventory of financial education programs and curricula available in the state
- Ensure that financial literacy is an important part of discussions of public policy on both a state and local level.
About Us
The Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition is comprised of organizations, government agencies, financial institutions, and corporations. Working together we are able to join forces to improve the personal financial literacy of Connecticut’s youth.
Connecticut Jump$tart was the recipient of the 2016 State Coalition of the Year Award from the Jump$tart Coalition. This honor recognizes the sound structure and management of the state coalition; its effectiveness and innovation in reaching, supporting, and assisting teachers; its public awareness activities; its effectiveness in carrying out Jump$tart’s State Coalition Common Strategy; and the level of participation and collaboration within the coalition itself.
Officially incorporated in Connecticut in 2005 by Craig Newkirk, with funding support from Bank of America, the leadership was transferred to Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, with ongoing support from the Office of the State Treasurer, State Department of Banking, State Department of Education, Centers for Financial Education and Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.
For more information, contact: Faye Griffiths-Smith at (203) 407-3160.
2024 CT Financial Literacy Summit – Friday, October 18th
Now that Financial Literacy is a mandatory requirement for High School Graduation, learning how to teach it to your students is more important than ever. The 2024 Connecticut Financial Literacy Summit, hosted by the Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition, will focus on the newest tools and techniques help you teach financial literacy to your high school students. We will be presenting ideas and solutions that you will be able to bring back to your classroom to implement. Thanks to grants, sponsorships, and donations, this 1 day conference is fully paid for and will be no cost to you!
Location: Sheraton Hartford South Hotel, 100 Capital Blvd, Rocky Hill, CT 06067
Date and time: Fri, Oct 18, 2024 8:00 AM – 2:30 PM
| To sign up, please click Register |
Background
The Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition was founded in 2005 by Junior Achievement of Southwest New England, Office of the State Treasurer, State Department of Banking, State Department of Education, Bank of America, Centers for Financial Education and Connecticut Association of Boards of Education.
Connecticut Jump$tart is an independent affiliate of the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy. The national Jump$tart Coalition is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit organization headquartered in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1995, the coalition includes more than 100 national partners and a network of 51 state affiliates that share a commitment to #afinlitfuture and to working collaboratively toward common goals.
Projects
School Survey: The Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition conducted a survey to determine what each school district in the state is offering for personal finance classes. This information is important, as this data will be used for analysis and examination for future endeavors and offerings.
Connecticut Science Center: Connecticut Jump$tart has partnered with the Department of Consumer Protection and Square One Financial Education to conduct budgeting workshops at the Connecticut Science Center. Budgeting for Life, a financial literacy program for Connecticut teenagers, was developed by CT Jump$tart Board Member Samantha Cross of Square One Financial Education. Through these workshops teens that participate in the Science Center’s robotics program learn the importance of budgeting, discover the key components of a successful budget, and gain tips to budget effectively.
Board
The following officers and directors comprise the Board and Committee Members of the Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition:
Faye Griffiths-Smith, President
Family Economics and Resource Managment Educator, UConn Extension
Miria Gray, Vice President
Chelsea Groton Bank
Lori Adler, Treasurer
Retired Business Educator, Bolton High School
Elizabeth Hiza, Secretary
Chief of Staff, responsible for Barnum Financial Group’s Financial Literacy Initiatives
Christopher M. Lee, CFP®, Immediate Past President
Certified Financial Planner
Oscar Cordoba
Affinity Federal Credit Union
Lew DeLuca
Student Financial Literacy and Advising
Southern Connecticut State University
David Hinchey
Credit Union League of Connecticut
Josh Hurlock
Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA)
Patrice McCarthy
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education
Lisa Paniccia
Unilever
Jeremy Race
Junior Achievement
Robyn Swanson
Seasons Federal Credit Union
Maryanne Taft
Teacher, Hall High School (West Hartford)
Kathleen Titsworth
Connecticut Department of Banking
Committees
The Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition has formed the following committees:
- Connecticut Asset Building Collaborative
- Connecticut Science Center Project Committee
- Fundraising Committee
- Jump$tart National Educators Conference Committee
- LifeSmarts Committee
- Survey Committee
- Youth Personal Finance Committee
Partners
Credit Union League of Connecticut
Connecticut Association of Boards of Education (CABE)
Connecticut Department of Banking
Connecticut Department of Children and Families
Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection
Connecticut Department of Education
Connecticut Higher Education Supplemental Loan Authority (CHESLA)
Junior Achievement of Southwest New England
LaBelle Communications
Square One Financial Education
Office of the State Treasurer
UConn Extension
Supporters
The Connecticut Jump$tart Coalition gratefully acknowledges the following organizations and individuals for their generous in-kind and monetary support of the Coalition:
Get Involved
There are many ways that organizations or individuals can become involved with the coalition.
Join the Coalition! If your organization or you as an individual are actively engaged in promoting personal financial literacy amongst youth, we invite you to become a member.
Support the Coalition! The Jump$tart Coalition is a charitable 501(c)3, nonprofit organization. As such, in-kind donations such as the printing of promotional materials or hosting of meetings and events are greatly appreciated. The Coalition also welcomes monetary contributions.
Make a difference locally! Organizations and individuals can make a great impact at the local level. Here are just a few ways that you can make a difference:
- Financial Institutions: Volunteer to work with a local school or district to provide classroom presentations or teacher support.
- Educators: Incorporate personal finance within your curriculum. Personal finance has been taught successfully to students of all ages and within many core and elective subjects. For more resources, go to Clearinghouse and search according to your grade and subject matter.
- Policy Makers: Consider ways to incorporate personal finance education into your school’s curriculum and teacher professional development programs.
- Parents: Begin teaching your child about personal finance at a young age and continue to reinforce these skills. See the Links section or visit the Clearinghouse for more ideas on teaching your child about personal finance matters.