Jump$tart National Educator Conference Supports Personal Finance Education in the Classroom

WASHINGTON - Oct. 18, 2016 - PRLog -- Note to editors: A limited number of spots are available to journalists who want to attend. Please contact heather.mcelrath@jumpstart.org if you are interested.

While today's college freshman is predicted to have an average of $35,000 in student debt by graduation, the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy® is on a mission to create a more financially literate future for generations that follow.

One way the organization does this is by supporting PreK-12 teachers who incorporate personal finance education into any subject at any grade level.  The National Educator Conference (#JSNEC16) is the only national conference dedicated to classroom teachers of personal finance and attracts approximately 300 teachers from across the country. This year, teachers will gather at the InterContinental Hotel Dallas Nov. 5-7 where they will see the latest financial education tools, get hands-on training, hear from dozens of industry experts, and network with colleagues from across the country. For more information, visit http://www.jumpstart.org/nec16.

"The conference is designed to train, motivate, support and appreciate those who teach personal finance; however, the end-goal is to benefit future generations," said Laura Levine, Jump$tart President and CEO. "Classroom teacher have incredible reach.  Last year's NEC attendees reported teaching more than 40,000 students in one school year alone. When you consider that most of them will continue teaching for years to come, the impact is noteworthy."

During the 8^th annual conference, attendees will have the opportunity to learn from:

·        Dan Kadlec, author and journalist whose work appears in TIME and MONEY, among other outlets;

·        Adam Carroll, founder of National Financial Educators and co-creator of the documentary "Broke, Busted & Disgusted;" and

·        Sarah Newcomb, a behavioral economist at Morningstar and HelloWallet, and author of "LOADED: Money, Psychology and How to Get Ahead without Leaving your Values Behind."

Kadlec will address what the election means for financial services, and Carroll will share his insights on how teachers can help their students prepare for the monetary decisions they'll face. Newcomb will help attendees examine their relationship with money and ways to develop a values-based approach to money management.

NEC also focuses on giving teachers materials that they can use in the classroom as soon as they get home. One conference activity at #JSNEC16 will have teachers build a lesson plan based on the new tools and information acquired during the weekend.

"The conference is not only a professional development event for educators, but also a way of saying thank you for their service to our schools, our youth and our financial future," said Levine. "We are grateful for our savvy, dedicated educators, and it's an honor to help them bring these exciting opportunities from conference to classroom through NEC."

Additional conference highlights include sessions on investing, better money habits, insurance protection, budgeting and more. Attendees also will be able to explore approximately 50 exhibitors of financial education resources to see, learn about, and try educational tools and materials that can be integrated immediately into current lesson plans.

#JSNEC16 is generously underwritten by Experian and Wells Fargo Foundation and supported by dozens of sponsors. Registration is open for teachers at www.jumpstart.org/nec16 and, because space is limited, teacher registration will close on Oct. 21. Through the generosity of our sponsors, classroom teachers pay just $425 to attend, which includes a two-night stay at the Intercontinental Dallas Hotel and conference meals.  Teachers who participate in the entire conference also receive a certificate for 15 professional development hours. Additional attendees pay $525 and receive the same benefits.

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About Jump$tart: The Jump$tart Coalition is a Washington, DC-based not-for-profit organization that seeks to improve the personal financial literacy of students in pre-kindergarten through college. Jump$tart's nearly 150 national partners and 51 affiliated state coalitions work individually and collectively to educate and prepare our nation's youth for life-long financial success. Jump$tart is the original promoter of April as Financial Literacy Month and publisher of the National Standards in K-12 Personal Finance Education. For more information about the Jump$tart Coalition, go to www.jumpstart.org or follow us on Facebook and Twitter @NatlJumpstart. Please visit our website for more information about the National Educator Conference (jumpstart.org/nec16).