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Tennessee Educators Honored with Financial Literacy Awards
Shelli King

Tennessee Educators Honored with Financial Literacy Awards

This week the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission honored three Tennessee educators for taking the lead in bringing financial education tools to their students

Nashville, TN – This week the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission honored three Tennessee educators for taking the lead in bringing financial education tools to their students. Kara Campbell, Cody Hawks, and Candiace Dandridge were each presented with the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission Leadership Award by Treasurer David H. Lillard, Jr. at an event on Tuesday evening. Chris Holmes, a longtime TNFLC board member, was also honored with the Champion of Financial Literacy Award for his work in driving the success of the Commission’s programs since inception.

“Educators play many roles and take on many responsibilities –these individuals and their schools are going above and beyond,” said Treasurer Lillard. “And they do so because they know that these lessons have real life application, and they are dedicated to the whole well-being of their students, and their futures. We were pleased to honor these three educators for their commitment to financial literacy in their schools.”

Kara Campbell

Kara Campbell is a second grade teacher at Jefferson Elementary School in Jefferson City, TN. After initially learning of the Commission’s initiatives through a Conference for Before and After School Educators and attending one of the Commission’s Saturday Financial Fitness for Life Summits in Blountville, Mrs. Campbell decided to implement the My Classroom Economy program in her classroom. 

My Classroom Economy is a behavioral management program designed to instill basic financial responsibility in young students.

Cody Hawks

Cody Hawks is a fifth grade teacher at Hillsboro School in Lieper’s Fork, TN. After attending one of the Commission’s Saturday Summits in Nashville, Mr. Hawks immediately enrolled his class in the Vault – Understanding Money online financial literacy program.

In addition to having his class complete the Vault program, Mr. Hawks has also instituted the My Classroom Economy system in his classroom, which has tied seamlessly with the district’s Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports system.

Candiace Dandridge

Candiace Dandridge is a counselor at Berclair Elementary School in Memphis. She was initially interested in the Vault – Understanding Money program as a way to help students explore career opportunities.

Now over 200 fourth and fifth grade students at Berclair Elementary have completed the program. Vault has given her students knowledge of how to save and make responsible money choices, taught them about income and careers, credit and borrowing, and even investing.

Chris Holmes

Chris Holmes, president and CEO of FirstBank, served on the TNFLC Board of Directors since inception, a total of eight years. He helped to create the foundation and drive the success of the programs.

During his time of service, the Commission trained more than 4,000 educators to teach Financial Fitness for Life and directly reached 25,000 students who have completed the Vault – Understanding Money program.

 

Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission logo

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