The Nebraska Personal Finance Institute was held at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln campus at the College of Business, July 10-12. Open to any Nebraska educator who intends to implement personal finance topics into their curriculum, the institute better prepares educators who teach personal finance. Participants can earn college graduate credit.
“This institute is three days packed full of content, resources and teaching strategies. Teachers walk away with enough resources to fill an entire semester with personal finance activities ready for their classroom,” said Jennifer Davidson, president of the Nebraska Council on Economic Education (NCEE) and assistant professor of practice in economics.
Participants also received the opportunity to become W!se – an award-winning national education program that develops financial literacy – certified instructors. Once a teacher is W!se certified, they can prepare their students for recognition through the student certification process.
Davidson; Roberto Stein, assistant professor of practice in finance at Nebraska College of Business; Patricia Arneson, business professor at Wayne State College; and Sydney Kobza, content area specialist for business, marketing and management for the Nebraska Department of Education, served as instructors and facilitators.
Guest presenters included Richard Baier of Nebraska Bankers Association, Dawn Friedrich of Wausa Public Schools, Deb Wolken of Lincoln Public Schools, Nicole Connelly of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City-Omaha Branch, Brian Willet of Waddell & Reed, Tim Norris of Home and Farm Insurance, and Kyleigh Lewis of Dorchester Public Schools.
The program was sponsored by Partnerships for Innovation, Nebraska Department of Education, NCEE and the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City-Omaha Branch.
Participants were:
| Justin Aaberg | Nebraska City High School |
| Stephen Allen | Omaha South High School |
| Craig Barjenbruch | Centennial High School |
| Jim Bunch | Norris High School |
| Alana Cardinal | Keya Paha County Schools |
| Laura DeVries | South Platte Schools |
| Adrian Eggers | Winside High School |
| Barbara Foley | Burke High School |
| Melissa Lein | Hay Springs High School |
| Arielle Levin | Ralston High School |
| Bonnie Malcolm | Southeast Community College |
| Taylor Mendenhall | Kearney High School |
| Timothy Mittan | Southeast Community College |
| Chelsea Mustoe | Omaha South High School |
| Joe Pfanstiel | Creighton High School |
| Ann Purdy | Northwest High School |
| Diane Rouzee | GI Northwest High School |
| Joyce Sadd | Hastings Senior High School |
| Jamie Schluter | Wymore Southern High School |
| Nanette Shackelford | Sandy Creek Public School |
| Debra Stroh | Gibbon High School |
| Lindsay Tillinghast | Lincoln Southeast High School |
| Vicki Wooton | Southeast Community College |
| Michelle Zahn | Conestoga Public Schools |
| Philip Zlomke | Westridge Middle School – Grand Island |
The Nebraska Council on Economic Education is a non-profit housed at the Nebraska College of Business. The council’s mission is focused on directly educating Nebraska’s students and providing professional development for K-12 teachers to advance economic and financial literacy.
The College of Business educates more than 4,400 future business leaders to Start Something with its 10 undergraduate majors and nine master’s programs. Established in 1913, it is the only doctorate-granting business college in Nebraska.
