Governor LePage and Coalition of Government, Nonprofit, and Business Leaders Announce Fifth Annual Conference: ‘Fostering Financial Literacy in Maine Schools'

Governor Paul R. LePage and a coalition of government, nonprofit and corporate leaders are announcing the 5th Annual "Fostering Financial Literacy in Maine Schools Conference". The resource-rich learning opportunity will take place May 8, 2014 at the Cross Insurance Center in Bangor.

Organized by the Maine Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, the Conference will feature state and national experts offering teachers, counselors, and community educators specialized resources and best practices designed to include financial education in the K-12 and post-secondary experience. The event is funded largely through grants and private contributions.

"Greater financial literacy among young people benefits Maine's families, communities and economy," Governor LePage said. "This annual statewide conference gives teachers valuable tools and resources needed to creatively share financial information and instill life-long money management skills."

"The Office of Securities is proud to mark the fifth year of partnering with the Maine Jump$tart Coalition," Securities Administrator Judy Shaw said. "Basic financial literacy is essential for young people to achieve their goals. We are excited to help Maine's educators expand and enhance their financial literacy instruction."

Workshops will be offered featuring financial literacy resources for Pre-K through college age groups. Other sessions will provide training on how to best utilize technology to advance personal finance education. Attendees will receive free financial education resources and materials from Conference exhibitors.

Organizers are offering financial support to schools on a first-come, first-served basis to cover the $25 Conference registration fee, as well as funds to meet other expenses, including a substitute teacher for the day of the event. To receive updates on the Conference and notification about registration, email info@mejumpstart.org. For additional information about the event or funding, please call Maine's Office of Securities at 1-877-624-8551 or e-mail Lindsay.J.Laxon@maine.gov.

The Maine Jump$tart Coalition was named 2014's coalition of the year by the National Jump$tart Board. This is the first time any state in the northeast has received this honor. Maine Jump$tart Coalition members organizing the May 8 event include Maine's Office of Securities, the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME), the Maine Credit Union League, and the Maine Bureau of Financial Institutions.

The Office of Securities is part of Maine's Department of Professional and Financial Regulation (www.maine.gov/pfr). Maine Jump$tart is the state affiliated chapter of the national JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, a non-profit coalition of organizations dedicated to improving the financial literacy of pre-kindergarten through college-age youth. www.jumpstart.org.

Financial Literacy Session January 8

The next session of the Financial Literacy series at the Camden Public Library will be on Tuesday,  January 8, at 7:00 pm. The Financial Literacy Series is a monthly presentation on a sequence of financial topics to help individuals and families get their budgets on firm footing. The topic for the January 8 session will be a discussion of “Budgeting: Improving Your Relationship with Money,” led by Linda Buckmaster of Women, Work, and Community. Using the “Money Habitudes” workshop activity, Buckmaster will lead you to learn about your money habits and attitudes; how they affect your money choices; and how you can change old practices.                                  

The purpose of the financial series is to remove anxiety surrounding finances and create a comfort level by simply increasing knowledge of your own budget, and is open to everyone. The workshops are free, and you need not attend the whole sequence to benefit from any of the workshops.  The monthly series will offer tools and resources for community members and families seeking to improve their financial standing by reducing their debt, budgeting for college and retirement, or by creating a more effective investment portfolio.

The library is offering a free copy of Quicken, a family budgeting program, to all attendees at any event in the series. The workshops are free, and you need not attend the whole sequence to benefit from any of the workshops. The series includes: Budgeting: Finding your Money Power Payment on Tuesday, February 12, 7:00 pm; “Investing ABCs” on Tuesday, March 12; and “Advanced Investing” on Tuesday, April 9.

The Financial Literacy Series is presented with the support of the Camden National Bank. Both the Camden National Bank and the Camden Public Library support financial literacy in the belief that an informed public will make better personal and financial decisions. You’re never too young or too old to learn the language of money!

Financial Literacy Series

Camden Public Library Financial Literacy Series Begins November 8

“Anxiety is the lack of understanding that gets in the way of moving forward,” says Jack Williams, the kick-off speaker in the Camden Public Library’s Financial Literacy series. “Here are some tools to get started understanding who you are and what you need to know about your own finances.” Williams is a senior vice president at Camden National Bank and will be leading the first workshop in the series at the Camden Public Library on Thursday, November 8, at 7:00 pm, on “Budgeting I: Financial Anxiety.” Williams has a pragmatic, matter-of-fact approach to financial anxiety that all starts with the information you already have. “Forty years I’ve been in this business. First thing is to start with knowing where you are; typically people have no idea what they are spending, and the emotional impact of decision-making is huge. We’ll take a look at the numbers and take the anxiety out of it.”

The monthly series will offer tools and resources for community members and families seeking to improve their financial standing by reducing their debt, budgeting for college and retirement, or by creating a more effective investment portfolio. The series continues with “Budgeting II: Goals” on December 8, led by Linda Buckmaster of Women, Work and Community, a non-profit dedicated to helping Mainers achieve economic security for themselves and their families. Defining and choosing from conflicting goals and acquiring good “money habitudes,” as Buckmaster puts it, will help an individual or family towards their financial goals, whether it is health care, retirement, education, vacation, an automobile, debt elimination, or simply paying the rent or mortgage.

The library is offering a free copy of Quicken, a family budgeting program, to all attendees to any event in the series. The workshops are free, and you need not attend the whole sequence to benefit from any of the workshops. The series continues with “Budgeting III: The Nuts & Bolts” on January 8; “Budgeting IV: Family Budgeting” on February 12; “Investing ABCs” on March 12; “Smart Money” on April 9; and “Advanced Investing” on May 14.

The Camden Public Library promotes financial literacy through ongoing speaker presentations and other onsite and online resources, such as financial planning subscriptions to Valueline and Morningstar, periodicals and magazines such as Kiplingers, Money Magazine,Wall Street Journal, and The Economist, and books and audiobooks. The Financial Literacy Series is presented with the support of the Camden National Bank. Both the Camden National Bank and the Camden Public Library support financial literacy in the belief that an informed public will make better personal and financial decisions. Everyone deserves a financial education. People who are financially informed are better able to take control of their circumstances, improve their quality of life, and ensure a more stable future for their families. You’re never too young or too old to learn the language of money!