How does credit work? How do my needs and wants affect the way I spend or save my money? Just exactly how does a budget work? About two hundred and ninety sixth grade students from Beatrice, Crete, Fairbury, Milford and Elmwood-Murdock learned the answers to these questions and more at the recent “Making Cents Of It”- Money Day Camp held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln East Campus.
The camp was designed to help prepare sixth graders to make sound financial decisions as young adults. Students rotated throughout the day through seven different sessions. Session topics were: counting money and making change, needs and wants, checking and debit, credit, budgeting, savings, and how advertising affects the way you spend your money. Some of the comments from students about the camp were: “It was fun using a budget!” “You learn all about how important saving your money is.” “We learned how to manage money in life.” “I learned that I should start saving money for college.”
Instructors for the two days of camp were: Ruby Deunk, First National Bank - Beatrice (Cortland Branch); Angela Koch, University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union; Eric Stehlik, Leanne Manning, Dianne Swanson, Gail Brand, Mary Ann Holland and Maggie Miller all with the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension is Saline, Seward, Cass and Gage counties.
Sponsors of the camp included Farmers & Merchants Bank, Wilber; Saline State Bank, Wilber; City Bank and Trust Co., Crete; State Bank of Odell; First National Bank-Beatrice; and University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
(Dianne Swanson, Extension Educator, Gage county, speaks to participants about the importance of budgeting.)
(Angela Koch, University of Nebraska Federal Credit Union, illustrating for students the importance of saving money.)
(Eric Stehlik, 4-H Associate, Saline county, leads participants in a hands-on money counting activity.)
(Ruby Deunk, First National Bank-Beatrice (Cortland Branch), teaches students about checking and debit.)
(Maggie Miller, Extension Assistant, Seward county, illustrates the effects that advertising can have on spending.)
(Leanne Manning, Extension Educator, Saline county, works with students to help them learn how credit works. Students acted out a play entitled "Consumer Mom Buys a Shoe," to learn how the average consumer uses credit.)
