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The Personal Urban Financial Services, LLC (PUFS) was designed to help individuals navigate through their financial future. A program for hildren was developed which consisted of learning the stock market by a designed game that has been utilized by the Chicago Public Schools called the "Stock Market" game. The stock market game was designed for children to break the cycle for those individuals that do have any exposure to any investment securities. This game will equip children with a skill set that they will be able to utilize throughout their lives. Most individuals are introduced to investment vehicles once they obtain their first full-time employment and have begun their adult lives. This training as a youth will plant the seed as a youth that will carry on through their adulthood. This skill set as a youth with enable them as adults and even as young adults to contribute to their financial communities at a much early age because of this wisdom.
This is far greater than "banking in school", which equates to televisions without "remote controls". Those are the programs that are in our communities today. Are youth today are much more sophisticated than twenty years ago. Most children under 7 years old have been introduce to computers were in my day, I did not work on a computer until the age of 20. Upon the completion of the program, we envision children with investment accounts instead of your average savings account. Instead of hours in front of the "game boys" trying to score points that disappear
after the game is turn off, the children will learn about stock market symbols, the percentage of growth of a stock, and the ability to read the titles of stock. Just think their math and reading skills should increase to a greater level that will be measurable in the class room. Overall, this excitement to learn may produce more math and reading
teachers.
A description of the program - target population, meeting times, location, schedule, length of sessions, recruitment strategy, etc.; The program will consist of youth grades because historically every age has been introduce to savings at an early age and this program will also target the same group of individuals. The meeting times will be after school beginning as early as 3:30 and ending as late as 7:30 pm. The programs will be held at a 2 hour periods with a minimum of a 15 minutes for a "cookie break" in between the hours. The two Junior High Schools will be used with each two meetings a week on alternate days. One school will us Monday and Wednesday and the other would use Tuesday and Thursday. The enrollment process will be held at the various schools and the library (YMCA). The schools would be encourage to have their students participate, since this could be conveyed as an after school program. We would need to meet with the after school programs to see what is needed to qualify. Finally, the various business c clubs would be targeted at the two high schools in the areas because the events would encourage their volunteerism with the younger enrollees.
The Stock market game-
Now more than ever, schools are looking for ways to meet higher educational standards while working within tighter budgets. To meet this challenge, schools are seeking more effective education tools that both motivate students and support teachers in building lifelong learning
skills.
One tool that meets these requirements in an innovative yet time-tested way is The Stock Market Game(tm) Program. Since 1977, the program has given educators a way to improve the learning experience in thousands of classrooms. Teachers have successfully used The Stock Market Game Program to enliven core academic subjects - including math, social studies, and language arts - and research has shown there's no better way to teach the importance of saving and investing.
The Stock Market Game Program offers a vast library of learning materials correlated to national voluntary educational standards in math, business education, and economics. This resource has inspired many teachers to incorporate the program into classes in creative ways
at all levels, from fourth grade to college, all across the curriculum.
The program teaches and reinforces these essential skills and concepts:
- Math, language arts, and social studies
- Critical thinking
- Decision-making
- Cooperation and communication
- Independent research
- Saving, investing, and economics
- Students use real Internet research and news updates, making the simulation an even better mirror of the real marketplace.
While the competitive game play creates student excitement, the educational experience delivers the biggest impact.
An Innovative Way to Learn
Students who participate in The Stock Market Game Program learn more than investing. As they progress, they learn core academic concepts and skills that can help them succeed in the classroom - and in life.
Starting with a virtual cash account of $100,000, students strive to create the best-performing portfolio using a live trading simulation. They work together in teams, practicing leadership, organization, negotiation, and cooperation as they compete for the top spot. The
setup is engaging, and the learning a natural part of the experience.
In building a portfolio, students research and evaluate stocks, and make decisions based on what they've learned. To determine why certain stocks perform the way they do or why the broader market has moved up or down, they need to understand how the economy works. And to calculate their returns, they need to do the math.
Since 1977, more than 8 million students have participated in The Stock Market Game Program, and more classrooms sign on every year. Today, the program is available in all 50 states and worldwide.
Teachers have discovered that The Stock Market Game Program actually boosts attendance and reduces dropout rates. Students who participate in the program gain confidence and build self-esteem. They have fun and learn more effectively as they see how their classroom lessons apply to the real world.
What students gain from The Stock Market Game Program is a remarkable experience - and even more important, an education for life.
The program is made possible by the support of more than 600 securities firms, combined with essential grassroots support in schools and communities. It is the only stock market simulation supported by the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ Stock Market.
The Stock Market Game(tm) is a trademark of the Foundation for Investor Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to developing and providing learning resources for investors of all ages, raising the level of investor awareness in the U.S., supporting research
programs and advocating the advancement of investor education. .
* An explanation as to how the Circle of Courage goals will be fulfilled;
Circle of Courage* Goals
Belonging
Programs that have as a demonstrable outcome for the youth participating of Increased Positive Attachment to: Family, Peers, School, and Community. Increased Significance/Self Worth; Increased Ability to form and maintain Positive Relationships; Demonstrable increase in positive Relating/Social Skills.
The plans are to encourage the various schools to host this as an after school program with the intension that children from each school would be encourage to participate. Parents would also be encourage to attend because this maybe in some cases the first time that their parents
had honestly had an opportunity to view the "stock market" at entry level position. This will allow some families to learn all at once and gain a certain bond. Since there are no wrong or right answers with the "stock market" it would allow everyone the opportunity to provide their
family and friends with their insight of why a certain stock was chosen. Just think everyone in the class on the same leaning curve including their parents.
Independence
Programs that have as a demonstrable outcome for the youth participating relating to Increased Autonomy, Power, Empowerment, Assertiveness.
Since every child is introduce to saving your money at an early age. We will have children at an early age following a stock for a period of time and providing their recommendations to buy and sell stock to their parents and why they should move their savings from the bank to an
investment account. The "stock market" game will provide them with the confidence and the ability to persuade their friends and parents to a new investment vehicle.
Mastery
Programs that have as a demonstrable outcome for the youth participating relating to: Achievement, Competence, Skills, or Coping Strategies/Abilities.
The skill set that will be learn will be carry on for years to come. This skill set of reading and math can be transferable from one grade to the next. Nightly, the children and parents would have to determine the rate of change from one day to the next. The children would have to
calculate "fractions" which is taught in all grammar and high school. Just think, before each stock recommendation is made they must present to the class the overview of the company and how they came to this conclusion to purchase their recommended sock. These presentation skills are seldom introduce at a grammar school level.
4. Generosity
Programs that have as a demonstrable outcome for the youth participating relating to, Altruism, Virtue, Spirituality, Investing.
Over the years various Chicagoland Churches have hosted the various 'Stock Market" games. Our plans are to use "penny stocks" for only the actual investing and actual tracking other investments that are greater than $1 for the group to monitor. The fun of seeing the pennies grow and creating an environment that your recommendations are accepted by the entire group, tracking a stock for a period of time and your parents consider investing because of the above average research that was created, we will be teaching patience and listing to each other views. In this "micro wave" era when everyone wants it now will allow every participant to achieve this certain calmness and thoroughness in making the simplest of decisions.
* Collaboration/Partnership with other local organizations, such as schools or library;
Our plans are to attend various meetings of the various business clubs at the grammar and high schools and present the concept of the "Stock Market" game. On the high school level, our intentions are to invite some of the investment advisors within the area to appear at some of our after school programs. Our attentions are not to sell invest products but to create an awareness at an early age.
* More information of what you will be actually doing during the session;
The "stock market" consists of the following:
- reviewing stocks and bonds and providing an overview of this ownership interest
- reviewing stock symbols
- reviewing the overview of companies and how their activity impacts the stock market
- reviewing the purchase, selling and rate of return of the stock market
- providing of stock that student review and is ready to recommend
All events are present as a "cartoon product" which will allow some fun and laugher to occur.
Individuals are encouraged to work with a partner or group or family member if in attendance.
* How this fits into the Youth Services priority of providing after school programs with safe supervised environments for all youth in grades 4th through 9th in Oak Park/ River Forest.
Our plans are to meet with the schools in the area to mirror the same safe structure existing after school programs that currently held. We also meet with the library as well as the YMCA so they we can also fit within their structure. Our plans in all cases are to use all recommendations from the various institutions, without exception.
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