Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita announces April as Financial Literacy and Investor Awareness Month in Indiana
Contact: Allison Fore
317-233-8655
Media@sos.in.gov
Indianapolis, IN - Today, Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita joined Jeff Miller, President and CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Indiana at the Gene B. Glick Junior Achievement Education Center to announce the month of April in Indiana as “Financial Literacy and Investor Awareness Month.”
“Learning how to manage money and protect investments is a vital part of lifelong education,” said Rokita. “The younger individuals learn to manage money, the better prepared they will be to meet and overcome financial challenges. The month of April is really about highlighting the tools and resources available as we work to make Hoosiers of all ages more financially fit.”
Through Rokita's investor education program, Indiana Investment Watch, partnerships with organizations such as Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, Visa USA, and the Investor Protection Trust have been formed to make resources available to teachers, parents, and students in Indiana about basic money management skills. Rokita's office sponsors a “Financial Fraud Wall” exhibit as part of Junior Achievement's Finance Park – an experiential learning program designed to offer 8 th grade to adult students a better understanding of personal financial management and career exploration.
“We give kids lessons in real life,” said Miller. “Financial Literacy is a continuum of understanding. We are all on it, and there is always more to learn, no matter what level or what age. Financial Literacy is one of our 3 main pillars and objectives at Junior Achievement, and it is woven into all the programs that we offer.”
The Finance Park tour marks the first of many events in April sponsored by Rokita's office that focus on financial literacy and investor awareness. Other events include:
- On Saturday, April 14th, Secretary Rokita's office will be hosting a FREE “Protect Your Pockets” workshop at the Gene B. Glick Junior Achievement Center from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Those in attendance will learn about financial fraud, money management, investing, family finances, and mortgages. Registration for the workshop is available at http://www.indianainvestmentwatch.com/or by calling 1-800-223-8791.
- Rokita's office, in conjunction with Visa USA's “Practical Money Skills for Life” program, will send “Financial Football” – an interactive money management football computer game and high school curriculum – to every public and private high school, as well as every public library in Indiana.
- Indiana Investment Watch's website, http://www.indianainvestmentwatch.com/now includes include a teacher resource library, where educators can go to find valuable teaching tools on Investor Education and Financial Literacy.
- Rokita will participate in The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and Visa USA 's “Financial Literacy Summit” on Tuesday, May 1, in Chicago . The Summit will ask leaders in the financial industry and policy makers to share their vision for the future of personal financial education and explore the roles government and the private sector can play in addressing financial literacy.
About Indiana Investment Watch
Indiana Investment Watch is a broad-based campaign created by Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita as an effort to reach and educate residents who have investments or may soon be looking for investment opportunities. Created after a statewide survey showed that nearly two-thirds of Indiana adults who own financial investments have little or no knowledge about potential fraud schemes or the security of investments, this program combats the lack of investment education among all Hoosiers. More information about the program and its initiatives can be found at www.IndianaInvestmentWatch.com.
Indiana Investment Watch is a free service and is funded entirely from the fines paid by stock brokerage firms in connection with the settlement of stock analyst conflict of interest cases.
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