Spring workshop series set
Spring semester workshops from the JMU Center for Economic Education will cover a wide variety of topics, from personal finance to economics in children’s literature. Registration is free and materials are free. Each workshop features materials and instruction that coordinate with the Virginia Standards of Learning. When you participate, you receive a certificate with details of topics and hours for your recertification. For details and registration now: go straight to the workshop page.
We’ve moved!
The Center for Economic Education is now located at 220 University Boulevard, Harrisonburg. We’re across the street from Outback Steakhouse, between Sylvia’s Pets and Colonial Optical. Here’s a map of our new location with all our contact information. We look forward to the expanded training space and parking to help us serve local educators better.
Summer institute: personal finance
In the summer of 2018, the James Madison University Center for Economic Education will be offering a five-day summer institute in personal finance June 18-22. The content is ideal for those who will be teaching the required economics and personal finance class at the high school level, but also is suitable for any educator seeking to do a better job of managing personal finances. Presentations from industry experts are combined with demonstrations of activities and materials in a casual and fast-paced atmosphere. Here’s more information and a registration link: ☑ REGISTER
Wood explained that a variety of topics from investments and insurance to car purchasing will be covered in the summer institute. Wood is the author of “Teachers Can Be Millionaires Too,” one of the most popular downloads ever from the journal Social Education. With coauthors Mark Schug, Tawni Ferrarini and Scott Niederjohn, Wood will be writing a full-length book on personal finance for teachers in 2018-2019.
Hartman, Fletcher win state awards
Emily Hartman of South River Elementary School and Nora Fletcher of J. Frank Hillyard Middle School have placed in statewide economic education awards competition. All entries statewide are funneled into a single K-12 division, where Emily placed second and Nora was third.
In Emily’s project, “The South River Breakfast Cart,” special education students in grades K-5 learned valuable lessons about entrepreneurship and money skills in operating a breakfast cart.
Nora’s project was “Poverty in America: Addressing Disparities through Action.” This project provided a diverse group of seventh graders with a hands-on approach to understanding and exploring poverty in general and in the local area.
Both projects had earlier been recognized in local competition sponsored by the Harrisonburg Rotary Club and Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce in coordination with Shenandoah Valley Economic Education, a nonprofit organization that combines business and school contributions to fund the field work of the James Madison University Center for Economic Education.
GEM Fair coming up
The next GEM Fair presented by Union Bank & Trust has been set for March 7, 2018 at the JMU’s Festival Conference and Student Center. “GEM Fair” stands for “Global Entrepreneurship Marketplace Fair.” The GEM Fair features an opportunity for students from Mini-Economies across the region to meet in a simulated international economy. The day includes a Roll Call of the Mini-Economy nations, market session, and awards ceremony. For more information on the GEM Fair, contact Lynne Stover at (540) 568-3248 or send email. Here’s a video on a previous GEM Fair:
The JMU Center for Economic Education’s teacher outreach program is a sponsored program of Shenandoah Valley Economic Education, Inc., a nonprofit corporation that seeks to promote economic literacy and understanding of the free enterprise system in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia.
The JMU Center for Economic Education is an affiliate of the Virginia Council on Economic Education.