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Young Americans COVID-19 Updates

Janet Redwine Bank, Classes + Camps, Donate, Events, General, Get Involved, International Towne, Programs, Spark Change, Young AmeriTowne, YouthBiz 4 Comments

Thank you for your support of Young Americans Center for Financial Education and Young Americans Bank.  The safety and health of our customers and constituents is our top priority, and so we are doing our part to follow guidelines set forth by health and school district officials.  Please know that we are taking precautions to help us all stay healthy, …

Depositing $2,785.50 in the bank is exciting no matter how old you are. And if you’ve worked to collect all of the funds yourself, you might be so excited that you couldn’t possibly sit still! FOURTH GRADE STUDENTS MOLLY AND TOMAS ORGANIZE BAGS OF CHANGE TO DEPOSIT AT YOUNG AMERICANS BANK THROUGH THE SPARK CHANGE PROGRAM. This was the case last Thursday as fourth grade students from Graland Country Day School skipped into Young Americans Bank to make a deposit as part of the Spark Change program. Spark Change is a K-8 curriculum that provides a hands-on lesson in philanthropy and leadership as students collect change and then donate their time and talent to local causes. Student leaders have worked on the program throughout the fall, researching causes and collecting change, and their deposit means they are nearing the end. “We have just one more week to go,” said Library Coordinator and program head Linda Sears who supervised the deposit. Students Molly, Tomas, Emory, and Jacob were on-hand to help. Service learning is important to Graland, a private Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade school in Denver. According to its website, “Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.” Ms. Sears echoed this mission, saying, “We’ve been doing the Spark Change program for years because we want to help our community. It’s important for all students.” Spark Change provides a hands-on approach to philanthropy. “I did some extra chores at my house to help earn more money,” said nine-year-old Molly. “And I brought in $41–just me!” Tomas raised $1,000 on a Go Fund Me site that his dad helped him set up. Jacob went into every classroom with posters and information so the school would know what the change drive was all about. And next week, the group plans to picket the “Kiss ‘N Go” drop off line at school to raise even more. TOMAS, JACOB, AND EMORY PEER INTO THE YOUNG AMERICANS BANK COIN MACHINE AS PROGRAM LEADER LINDA SEARS, LIBRARY COORDINATOR AT GRALAND COUNTRY DAY SCHOOL, OBSERVES. Although the group hasn’t narrowed down their nonprofits just yet, they have decided to dedicate their funds to help the environment, to the homeless, and to health–one third to each. “It feels really good to know that we’re helping people and our earth,” said Tomas. Morgan Levy, Assistant Vice President at Young Americans Bank, assisted the group with their deposit, spending most of the time at the change machine. Although she’s helped hundreds of young people with their deposits, this day was particularly memorable. “It’s really fun to get to see how much the students bring in through Spark Change,” she said. “And it’s inspiring, too–change really all adds up!” To learn more about Spark Change or to introduce this program to your students, contact Program Coordinator Kelsie Byrd at kbyrd@yacenter.org.

Graland Students Spark Change

Janet Redwine Programs, Spark Change Leave a Comment

Depositing $2,785.50 in the bank is exciting no matter how old you are.  And if you’ve worked to collect all of the funds yourself, you might be so excited that you couldn’t possibly sit still! This was the case last Thursday as fourth grade students from Graland Country Day School skipped into Young Americans Bank to make a deposit as …

A child with many toys is shown

Three Easy Ways to Help Kids Give This Holiday Season

Janet Redwine Get Involved, Spark Change, Young AmeriTowne, YouthBiz Leave a Comment

Kids are very generous.  So many YouthBiz owners donate a portion (or all!) of their profits to help others.  In Young AmeriTowne last year, students donated an average of $2.25 per student–pretty remarkable given that their salary is only $20-$30.  And in Spark Change, students collect change and donate their time, talent, and treasure to a nonprofit.  As giving it …

On Friday, April 5, the student leaders of McAuliffe International completed a whole day of service as the culminating activity of Spark Change, a new program of Young Americans Center for Financial Education teaching philanthropy through service learning. This outstanding group of 6th-8th graders has worked together since the fall researching local nonprofits and leading their school in collecting change to donate to these nonprofits. The 50 student leaders who participated in the day of service made a big impact on their community.

A Service Day to Remember

Janet Redwine Programs, Spark Change Leave a Comment

On Friday, April 5, the student leaders of McAuliffe International completed a whole day of service as the culminating activity of Spark Change, a new program of Young Americans Center for Financial Education teaching philanthropy through service learning.  This outstanding group of 6th-8th graders has worked together since the fall researching local nonprofits and leading their school in collecting change …

Campers at RYOB Summer Camp

Top five reasons to send your child to Young Americans Center Summer Camps

Mary Tallerday-Smith Classes + Camps, Events, International Towne, Programs, Spark Change, Young AmeriTowne, YouthBiz Leave a Comment

Summer will be here before we know it, which means warmer days, vacations, and summer camps for your children!  Keep reading for the top five reasons you should consider sending your child to a Summer Camp at Young Americans Center for Financial Education this year.  And don’t just take our word for it–see what last year’s campers had to say …

This is the time of the year when the Spark Change program has the most impact on the community. This program provides a hands-on experience in philanthropy as students collect change to donate to nonprofits of their choice. Starting in the fall, student leaders spend time researching and making some tough decisions. They need to decide who they want to help, how they want to help, how much do they want to give, and which organizations should receive donations. Some students decide to complete smaller service projects like hosting a food drive while others like to get their hands dirty and pick up trash in the park or put together a bee hive. Some students choose to collect change to purchase products for a service project or to grant an organization money. One of the hardest decisions of all is how to spend the collected money. Some students choose to give small amounts to multiple organizations while others choose to give huge amounts to a couple organizations.

Students Spark Change and Support Animals and Families in Need

Young Americans Center for Financial Education Programs, Spark Change Leave a Comment

This is the time of the year when the Spark Change program has the most impact on the community.  This program provides a hands-on experience in philanthropy as students collect change to donate to nonprofits of their choice. Starting in the fall, student leaders spend time researching and making some tough decisions.  They need to decide who they want to …

Spark Change participants from Peakview Elementary

Peakview Elementary Students Spark Change

Young Americans Center for Financial Education Spark Change 1 Comment

Peakview Elementary School’s Spark Change student leaders gathered Monday afternoon in Centennial to present their completed service project to an organization they cared for deeply, There With Care.  With locations in Denver, Boulder and Redwood City, California, There with Care aids families and children who are facing a critical illness by providing services and support.  The student leaders chose to …

Park Hill Spark Change students

About Spark Change

Teachers use the free Spark Change Program to encourage youth development and to teach philanthropy in a fun, hands-on, and meaningful way.  The Spark Change Program encourages students to change their community by collecting monetary change to be donated to a targeted nonprofit organization.

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How students sparked change last fall

Young Americans Center for Financial Education Spark Change Leave a Comment

It’s the time for giving alright – fifteen schools in the Denver metro area stacked change this holiday season accumulating a grand total of $32,452.46!!! The students in these schools will use the money to complete several service projects in the spring.  But, Inspire Elementary students couldn’t wait until spring; they believed it was important to help out their community …

Spark Change check presentation

FAQs – Spark Change

Here is a list of Frequently Asked Questions about Spark Change that may help you understand our program better. How long does the program last?The Spark Change program runs for a full school year. The program starts in September and ends in May. We also offer a shorten version that runs from January to the end of May. What forms ...