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 …

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 …

Spark Change participants from Peakview Elementary

Peakview Elementary Students Spark Change

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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 …

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Fox 31 Denver: Young Americans Summer Camps

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It’s Summer Camp Week on Fox 31’s Colorado’s Best, and Young Americans kicked it off by showcasing this summer’s week-long day camps.  Designed for youth who have completed second through eighth grade, Young Americans Summer Camps offer fun, hands-on experiences in financial literacy!  Young people can build a business in entrepreneur camps such as Running Your Own Biz or Be …

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How students sparked change last fall

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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 …

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Youth Spark Change, and you can, too

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This is the time of year we all start cleaning out our closets, emptying our wallets, and finding a place to volunteer and give back. It’s also the perfect time to highlight the newest program of Young Americans Center for Financial Education: Spark Change! Spark Change teaches students the importance of giving back and helping out their community.  Over the …