Industry Leaders Come Together to Reward High Performing At-risk Students

June 11, 2010 - PRLog -- Houston, Texas--Students at the Jack Yates High School were honored for achieving outstanding performance levels in science and mathematics on the state mandated Texas Assessment of Knowledge (TAK) test with a 2010 silver American Eagle coin struck by the United States Mint.  The one-ounce bullion coin, valued at about twenty dollars, was given to each of the fifty students who participated in a program to encourage and honor high performing students.  

Jack Yates High School, part of the Houston Independent School District, is a Title I school with at least 40 percent of students who are considered to be from low income families. As a way to inspire students with a unique approach to learning, the school started The Lion Coin Club a couple of years ago with two objectives in mind:  1) To advance numismatic knowledge of students through educational, historical and scientific means; and 2) to promote academic excellence in disciplines such as mathematics and science while preparing students for college and future careers. The Lion Coin Club, nearly eighty members strong, is led by Ralph Ross, a physics and math teacher at the school. Ross uses antiques and rare coins to help students learn history, politics, art, archaeology, chemistry, economics, and finance.  

Student Gregory Watts, who has two basketball championship rings and was the class salutatorian this year, said: "It meant a lot to me to be an athlete and a scholar.  I want to put those stereotypes about African-American athletes to shame.”  

Former school teacher, Principal and numismatic author Mike Fuljenz, of Universal Coin & Bullion in Beaumont, along with Johnny Duncan of U.S. Coins in Houston and Steve Ivy of Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas, donated the 2010-dated silver American Eagle Coins used to recognize the Yates High School students.

“It is a pleasure to reward these hard working students and to talk with them. I look forward to our next group of high performers,” stated Mike Fuljenz, President of Universal Coin & Bullion.

About Universal Coin & Bullion, Ltd.--Universal Coin & Bullion, Ltd. provides industry-leading collecting and investing strategies for the rare coin market, award-winning in-depth numismatic analysis, comprehensive coin consultation services and consumer protection advice regarding coin scams, fraud, and lawsuits.  UCB specializes in rare United States coins, gold, silver and platinum bullion coins and IRA diversification strategies to clients nationwide and is Better Business Bureau accredited.

For more information about Universal Coin & Bullion please visit:  www.universalcoin.com
To schedule interviews with Mike Fuljenz, contact Sha Embree Sembree@pgccreative.com (512)-671-9400 or Vickie@universalcoin.com (409)-861-4807

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Universal Coin & Bullion, Ltd. provides industry-leading collecting and investing strategies for the rare coin market, award-winning in-depth numismatic publications, comprehensive coin consultation services and consumer protection.