Copyright © 2012
Iowa College Student Aid Commission
All rights reserved.
Iowa College Aid Insider - March 2012 Edition
Governor Branstad Proclaims April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month
IFLiP Video Clip Challenge
Scholarship Opportunities for Middle and High School Students
Iowa Financial Literacy Program at Your Finger Tips!
Springtime for High School Seniors
Professional Development Opportunity for GEAR UP Educators and Counselors
Tool to Help Determine Dependency Status for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
News You Can Use
2011 Income Tax Return Due Date is Just Around the Corner!
Iowa College Aid Connections
I Have A Plan Iowa™ I HAPPENINGS
Governor Branstad Proclaims April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month
IFLiP Video Clip Challenge
Scholarship Opportunities for Middle and High School Students
Iowa Financial Literacy Program at Your Finger Tips!
Springtime for High School Seniors
Professional Development Opportunity for GEAR UP Educators and Counselors
Tool to Help Determine Dependency Status for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
News You Can Use
2011 Income Tax Return Due Date is Just Around the Corner!
Iowa College Aid Connections
I Have A Plan Iowa™ I HAPPENINGS
Governor Branstad Proclaims April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month
To promote the importance and build awareness of financial education in Iowa, Governor Branstad proclaimed April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month in Iowa during a ceremony held on Wednesday, March 28, 2012. Iowa College Aid staff and other financial literacy advocates attended the ceremony which highlighted the importance of financial literacy and the need to prepare Iowans to establish and maintain healthy financial habits.
As a state-wide public awareness effort, Iowa Financial Literacy Awareness Month is the perfect opportunity to become involved in this important effort to make financial literacy education a priority. During the month of April, Iowa College Aid will host activities and share information to promote this initiative. Some activities include:
IFLiP Video Clip Challenge
Lights! Camera! Action! To celebrate and promote April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month, Iowa College Aid, Iowa Banker’s Association and EverFi, Inc. have teamed up to host the Iowa Financial Literacy Program Video Clip (IFLiP Video CLiP) Challenge. The Challenge encourages Iowa high school students to create a short video, designed to educate their peers about financial literacy concepts and the importance of making smart financial decisions. Video entries must be submitted no later than April 22, 2012. Students who submit the winning video will receive $250 (courtesy of EverFi, nc.) for their team to share and a $1,000 technology grant (courtesy of Iowa Bankers Association) for their school! Entries will be judged on overall impact, creativity and accuracy of content.
We are asking for your assistance in getting the word out about this fun and educational event. Please post or send this promotional flyer. For more information, visit our website, call us at 877-272-4456 or speak with your I Have A Plan Iowa™ trainer.
Not yet using the Iowa Financial Literacy Program at your school? That’s okay! Students can still submit a video. See our website for eligibility criteria.
Scholarship Opportunities for Middle and High School Students
Money Smart Kid Contest: Iowa College Aid is a proud supporter of Money Smart Week®(MSW). Money Smart Week®, scheduled for April 21-28, 2012, is a week-long celebration of financial education. During this week, hundreds of presentations, activities, and programs will occur throughout Iowa.
In support of MSW, Iowa Bankers Association and the Iowa Credit Union Foundation are sponsoring the annual Money Smart Kid Essay Contest. The winner of the contest will be named this year’s Money Smart Kid and will receive a $1,000 College Savings Iowa account. College Savings Iowa is Iowa’s 529 college savings plan, which can be used at any federally-accredited institution of higher learning in the United States. In addition, this year's Money Smart Kid will be asked to read his or her essay at the MSW kick-off events and serve as an ambassador during MSW.
Iowa students in grades 6th – 8th are eligible to enter the contest. Click here for additional information, promotional flyers and posters, and the essay application. This year, students may submit an essay of 300 words or less answering the following question:
Give an example of when it is wise to borrow money and when it is not. What factors must you consider to make a responsible choice? Please discuss the concepts of decision making and opportunity costs.
The Financial Services Roundtable Financial Literacy Scholarship: The Financial Services Roundtable (FSR) will sponsor their 2nd annual Financial Literacy Scholarship to honor students who successfully complete a certified financial education course, such as the Iowa Financial Literacy Program, before entering college. FSR’s Financial Literacy Scholarship Review Committee will select 17 high school students to receive a scholarship of $5,000 each! The application deadline for the FSR Financial Literacy Scholarship is April 24, 2012.
Don't miss out on this scholarship opportunity for your students! The Iowa Financial Literacy Program is Iowa’s certified education course, provided free to Iowa high schools, and accessed through I Have A Plan Iowa™. For information on how your school can take advantage of this free resource and put your students in the position to apply for the FSR Financial Literacy Scholarship, register for an Iowa Financial Literacy Program webinar from the Iowa Financial Literacy Program at Your Finger Tips article below, or contact your I Have A Plan Iowa™ trainer or Iowa College Aid at 877-272-4456.
Iowa Financial Literacy Program at Your Finger Tips!
The Iowa Financial Literacy Program is an award-winning online platform, developed by EverFi, Inc., designed to teach, assess, and certify students in over 600 core concepts in financial education. The online program meets the Iowa Core requirements for financial literacy, which must be implemented in Iowa high schools by July 1, 2012. Over 100 Iowa schools are already using this 6-hour online program to meet the 21st Century standards or simply as a dynamic addition to their present financial literacy courses. Register now for our upcoming webinars to learn more about the Iowa Financial Literacy Program and how you can implement it at your school.
March 30th, 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
April 2nd, 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
April 3rd, 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Springtime for High School Seniors
Spring is in the air and as the warm wather sets in, many Iowa high school seniors are busy with thoughts of prom, final exams, summer jobs and graduation open houses. When spring fever combines with senioritis, important planning steps can be forgotten.
High school seniors have been busy planning their future for the last few years, anticipating important decisions along the way. To keep from becoming overwhelmed with all that’s left to be done, seniors should keep a list of what they need to do to keep on track. Here are a few things for seniors to keep in mind during the next months. Students should:
Professional Development Opportunity for GEAR UP Educators and Counselors
Educators and counselors from high schools serving GEAR UP Iowa students have an amazing opportunity to attend a premier, educator-designed, financial literacy training at NO COST! Iowa College Aid and GEAR UP Iowa partnered with Iowa State University Extension and the Iowa Insurance Division to sponsor the Family Economics & Financial Education (FEFE) Project Training. The three-day training, scheduled for July 24-26 at Iowa State University, is designed to provide counselors and educators with all of the resources needed to immediately implement a financial literacy course for students at their school.
Financial literacy is part of the Iowa Core 21st Century Skills that must be implemented in Iowa high schools by July 1, 2012. In many instances, educators tasked with teaching financial literacy have limited formal education in financial literacy subject matter. The need is not for more curriculum, which is abundant, but rather in-depth, hands-on training to better prepare them to immediately implement a personal financial literacy course.
The FEFE workshop is based on a national model out of the Take Charge Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research at the University of Arizona and will be led by FEFE master teachers. FEFE offers a family finance curriculum that is designed, tested and edited by educators for educators. This is the third year that Iowa College Aid has been involved with the FEFE training. Each year, educators provide feedback expressing that the training was one of the best professional development opportunities they have experienced.
Response to last year’s training was overwhelming, with registration filled to capacity and many more placed on a waiting list. With the maximum number of registrants capped at 75, we recommend those interested to register right away. Registration is being offered to GEAR UP educators and counselors before it is made available to all educators. GEAR UP Iowa will pay the full cost of the training for all GEAR UP Iowa educators and counselors, as well as reimburse them for travel and lodging. The full cost of the registration, not including travel and lodging is $570 so this is an amazing opportunity!
The 2012 training agenda is still being finalized, so last year’s agenda is included on the registration site for reference. Your registration includes:
Register now at the early registration site for GEAR UP Iowa educators at:
http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/gearup/home.html
If you have questions regarding the FEFE training, please contact Cindy Fletcher. Questions regarding GEAR UP Iowa should be directed to John Gilman. Contact information for both Cindy and John are below.
We hope that many of you will be able to take advantage of this opportunity and look forward to seeing you there!
Tool to Help Determine Dependency Status for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) and the National Center for Homeless Education (HCHE) have developed a form to assist college financial aid administrators make student status determination for unaccompanied homeless youth.
The form is an interactive PDF that helps financial aid administrators track information, including documentation from a third party, a student’s living situation, and whether or not a student is self-supporting and at risk of becoming homeless.
News You Can Use
Are your students confused about what business casual means? More and more companies are turning to business casual dress codes, allowing employees to work more comfortably in the work place, however it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Iowa College Aid’s newest News You Can Use article Dress for Success – Understanding Business Casual offers readers tips for dressing business casual.
2011 Income Tax Return Due Date is Just Around the Corner!
This year's due date for 2011 income taxes is extended until April 17th, giving taxpayers two extra days to file. Don’t forget to include any higher education tax benefits you may be eligible receive!
Iowa College Aid Connections
Check out Iowa College Aid Commissioner Kelli Todd's views on subjects including college and career planning, financial literacy, and hot media topics in Iowa College Aid Connections.
I Have A Plan Iowa™ I HAPPENINGS
I Have A Plan Iowa™'s team of trainers and tech support staff has joined forces to provide timely information and tips regarding I Have A Plan Iowa™ for educators in I Have A Plan Iowa™ I HAPPENINGS
As a state-wide public awareness effort, Iowa Financial Literacy Awareness Month is the perfect opportunity to become involved in this important effort to make financial literacy education a priority. During the month of April, Iowa College Aid will host activities and share information to promote this initiative. Some activities include:
- The Iowa Financial Literacy Program Video Clip (IFLiP Video CLiP) Challenge will be held, with the winning video being selected at the end of April. Learn More
- Certification ceremonies, celebrating high school students’ completion of the Iowa Financial Literacy Program, will occur at schools across Iowa.
- Weekly suggestions of activities to use in the classroom to promote financial literacy will be emailed to secondary educators.
- Daily tweets to promote financial literacy awareness throughout April.
- E-postcards on financial literacy topics will be emailed to colleges for use in communications with students.
- New financial literacy articles to be posted in the “News You Can Use” section of the Iowa College Aid website.
- Financial literacy – related topics to be discussed in the I Happenings and Iowa College Aid Connections blogs.
IFLiP Video Clip Challenge
Lights! Camera! Action! To celebrate and promote April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month, Iowa College Aid, Iowa Banker’s Association and EverFi, Inc. have teamed up to host the Iowa Financial Literacy Program Video Clip (IFLiP Video CLiP) Challenge. The Challenge encourages Iowa high school students to create a short video, designed to educate their peers about financial literacy concepts and the importance of making smart financial decisions. Video entries must be submitted no later than April 22, 2012. Students who submit the winning video will receive $250 (courtesy of EverFi, nc.) for their team to share and a $1,000 technology grant (courtesy of Iowa Bankers Association) for their school! Entries will be judged on overall impact, creativity and accuracy of content.
We are asking for your assistance in getting the word out about this fun and educational event. Please post or send this promotional flyer. For more information, visit our website, call us at 877-272-4456 or speak with your I Have A Plan Iowa™ trainer.
Not yet using the Iowa Financial Literacy Program at your school? That’s okay! Students can still submit a video. See our website for eligibility criteria.
Scholarship Opportunities for Middle and High School Students
Money Smart Kid Contest: Iowa College Aid is a proud supporter of Money Smart Week®(MSW). Money Smart Week®, scheduled for April 21-28, 2012, is a week-long celebration of financial education. During this week, hundreds of presentations, activities, and programs will occur throughout Iowa.
In support of MSW, Iowa Bankers Association and the Iowa Credit Union Foundation are sponsoring the annual Money Smart Kid Essay Contest. The winner of the contest will be named this year’s Money Smart Kid and will receive a $1,000 College Savings Iowa account. College Savings Iowa is Iowa’s 529 college savings plan, which can be used at any federally-accredited institution of higher learning in the United States. In addition, this year's Money Smart Kid will be asked to read his or her essay at the MSW kick-off events and serve as an ambassador during MSW.
Iowa students in grades 6th – 8th are eligible to enter the contest. Click here for additional information, promotional flyers and posters, and the essay application. This year, students may submit an essay of 300 words or less answering the following question:
Give an example of when it is wise to borrow money and when it is not. What factors must you consider to make a responsible choice? Please discuss the concepts of decision making and opportunity costs.
The Financial Services Roundtable Financial Literacy Scholarship: The Financial Services Roundtable (FSR) will sponsor their 2nd annual Financial Literacy Scholarship to honor students who successfully complete a certified financial education course, such as the Iowa Financial Literacy Program, before entering college. FSR’s Financial Literacy Scholarship Review Committee will select 17 high school students to receive a scholarship of $5,000 each! The application deadline for the FSR Financial Literacy Scholarship is April 24, 2012.
Don't miss out on this scholarship opportunity for your students! The Iowa Financial Literacy Program is Iowa’s certified education course, provided free to Iowa high schools, and accessed through I Have A Plan Iowa™. For information on how your school can take advantage of this free resource and put your students in the position to apply for the FSR Financial Literacy Scholarship, register for an Iowa Financial Literacy Program webinar from the Iowa Financial Literacy Program at Your Finger Tips article below, or contact your I Have A Plan Iowa™ trainer or Iowa College Aid at 877-272-4456.
Iowa Financial Literacy Program at Your Finger Tips!
The Iowa Financial Literacy Program is an award-winning online platform, developed by EverFi, Inc., designed to teach, assess, and certify students in over 600 core concepts in financial education. The online program meets the Iowa Core requirements for financial literacy, which must be implemented in Iowa high schools by July 1, 2012. Over 100 Iowa schools are already using this 6-hour online program to meet the 21st Century standards or simply as a dynamic addition to their present financial literacy courses. Register now for our upcoming webinars to learn more about the Iowa Financial Literacy Program and how you can implement it at your school.
March 30th, 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
April 2nd, 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
April 3rd, 3:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Springtime for High School Seniors
Spring is in the air and as the warm wather sets in, many Iowa high school seniors are busy with thoughts of prom, final exams, summer jobs and graduation open houses. When spring fever combines with senioritis, important planning steps can be forgotten.
High school seniors have been busy planning their future for the last few years, anticipating important decisions along the way. To keep from becoming overwhelmed with all that’s left to be done, seniors should keep a list of what they need to do to keep on track. Here are a few things for seniors to keep in mind during the next months. Students should:
- Think about how they’re going to spend their summer. Summer is a great time to earn extra money and gain work experience. Ask school a counselor about internships, and start researching the summer job market.
- Research buying a computer for college, if they don't already have one. Families can subsidize the cost of a computer for college with financial aid.
- File the FAFSA, if they haven’t already. Also, keep an eye out for financial aid workshops and seminars designed to help families navigate financial aid forms and applications.
- Compare acceptance letters, financial aid and scholarship offers received from colleges and universities. Students will most likely hear from colleges as to whether or not they are accepted by April 15.
- Take AP exams for any AP subjects taken in high school.
- Decide on a college by May 1 and notify that school by mailing a commitment deposit check. Many schools require that a notification letter be postmarked by this date. The non-refundable deposit will ensure a spot in the entering freshman class.
- Contact any schools where they have been placed on a waiting list, and let them know if they are still interested.
Professional Development Opportunity for GEAR UP Educators and Counselors
Educators and counselors from high schools serving GEAR UP Iowa students have an amazing opportunity to attend a premier, educator-designed, financial literacy training at NO COST! Iowa College Aid and GEAR UP Iowa partnered with Iowa State University Extension and the Iowa Insurance Division to sponsor the Family Economics & Financial Education (FEFE) Project Training. The three-day training, scheduled for July 24-26 at Iowa State University, is designed to provide counselors and educators with all of the resources needed to immediately implement a financial literacy course for students at their school.
Financial literacy is part of the Iowa Core 21st Century Skills that must be implemented in Iowa high schools by July 1, 2012. In many instances, educators tasked with teaching financial literacy have limited formal education in financial literacy subject matter. The need is not for more curriculum, which is abundant, but rather in-depth, hands-on training to better prepare them to immediately implement a personal financial literacy course.
The FEFE workshop is based on a national model out of the Take Charge Institute for Consumer Financial Education and Research at the University of Arizona and will be led by FEFE master teachers. FEFE offers a family finance curriculum that is designed, tested and edited by educators for educators. This is the third year that Iowa College Aid has been involved with the FEFE training. Each year, educators provide feedback expressing that the training was one of the best professional development opportunities they have experienced.
Response to last year’s training was overwhelming, with registration filled to capacity and many more placed on a waiting list. With the maximum number of registrants capped at 75, we recommend those interested to register right away. Registration is being offered to GEAR UP educators and counselors before it is made available to all educators. GEAR UP Iowa will pay the full cost of the training for all GEAR UP Iowa educators and counselors, as well as reimburse them for travel and lodging. The full cost of the registration, not including travel and lodging is $570 so this is an amazing opportunity!
The 2012 training agenda is still being finalized, so last year’s agenda is included on the registration site for reference. Your registration includes:
- Meals – lunch and breaks
- Hard copies of curriculum of the Take Charge of Your Finances Semester Course (a $340 value)
Register now at the early registration site for GEAR UP Iowa educators at:
http://www.ucs.iastate.edu/mnet/gearup/home.html
If you have questions regarding the FEFE training, please contact Cindy Fletcher. Questions regarding GEAR UP Iowa should be directed to John Gilman. Contact information for both Cindy and John are below.
| Cynthia Needles Fletcher Professor and Extension Specialist Human Development and Family Studies Iowa State University Ames, Iowa 50011 (515) 294-8521 cynthia@iastate.edu |
John E. Gilman GEAR UP Iowa Project Coordinator Iowa College Student Aid Commission cell (515) 868-1767 office (515) 725-3406 john.gilman@iowa.gov |
We hope that many of you will be able to take advantage of this opportunity and look forward to seeing you there!
Tool to Help Determine Dependency Status for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
The National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth (NAEHCY) and the National Center for Homeless Education (HCHE) have developed a form to assist college financial aid administrators make student status determination for unaccompanied homeless youth.
The form is an interactive PDF that helps financial aid administrators track information, including documentation from a third party, a student’s living situation, and whether or not a student is self-supporting and at risk of becoming homeless.
News You Can Use
Are your students confused about what business casual means? More and more companies are turning to business casual dress codes, allowing employees to work more comfortably in the work place, however it leaves a lot of room for interpretation. Iowa College Aid’s newest News You Can Use article Dress for Success – Understanding Business Casual offers readers tips for dressing business casual.
2011 Income Tax Return Due Date is Just Around the Corner!
This year's due date for 2011 income taxes is extended until April 17th, giving taxpayers two extra days to file. Don’t forget to include any higher education tax benefits you may be eligible receive!
Iowa College Aid Connections
Check out Iowa College Aid Commissioner Kelli Todd's views on subjects including college and career planning, financial literacy, and hot media topics in Iowa College Aid Connections.
I Have A Plan Iowa™ I HAPPENINGS
I Have A Plan Iowa™'s team of trainers and tech support staff has joined forces to provide timely information and tips regarding I Have A Plan Iowa™ for educators in I Have A Plan Iowa™ I HAPPENINGS