Our ThriveTime Scholarship Challenge Launches at Estrella High School to Rave Reviews

 

Your teen just spilled soda all over the brand new laptop you gave him for Christmas…or downloaded too many songs last month.  What now?  That’s exactly the kind of scenario we serve up in our award-winning board game, ThriveTime for Teens.  And as we kicked off our statewide ThriveTime Scholarship Challenge at Estrella High School in Avondale, Arizona, it was our pleasure to watch students compete so enthusiastically.  Proving the Xbox generation still embraces a real-time challenge!

 

As I witnessed first hand the difference the challenge will make in the lives of those kids, I beamed with pride.  When teens practice making choices and decisions about personal finances before they get to college and out into the “real world”, they’re so much better armed against diving into debt.

 

By educating teens about managing money and time, we can better equip them to Thrive during their early twenties and throughout their lifetime.  We can set our youth up to do more than just survive.

 

This is why Pay Your Family First launched a scholarship challenge in my own home state of Arizona.  Under the searing budget cuts of a limping economy, schools everywhere are struggling to maintain high quality education.  So we created a win-win opportunity for students, schools and families.  The ThriveTime Scholarship Challenge requires participants to navigate real-life scenarios related to earning, saving, investing, spending, and giving.  Oh – and they’re having FUN competing against each other in groups of 4 to 6 players at a table, with dozens of games going at once.

 

In partnership with Choices Educational Empowerment, we’ve scheduled competitions at scores of high schools across our great state with more schools interested in signing on.  Each participating school will receive a $250 donation from Pay Your Family First, and winning students earn the chance to compete during the state tournament in April 17th, 2012, for prizes ranging from $2500 to $5000.  That kind of money goes a long way toward financing a college education. No wonder the kids were motivated!

 

According to Estrella’s principal, Casey Zordani, the kick-off competition went off without a hitch, and high praise came from the kids themselves. “The students were talking about the competition for the rest of the day. Thanks again. Your program made a big impact on my students’ lives.“

 

For years I have advocated that money management skills begin at home. Think about what your parents taught you.  Did they help you to practice the discipline of saving part of that $20 Grandma sent for your Birthday each year?  Did they require you to pitch in around the house and to earn spending money?  Did they underscore the dangers of debt and how to avoid it?

 

Unfortunately, many parents don’t feel comfortable or are not sure where to start to teach their children the principles of personal finance because they never learned any skills themselves.   But you can do better for your kids.

 

Start by using the tools available to you, and learn together.  Check out our website at Pay Your Family First, andif you think your child’s high school would benefit from our ThriveTime Scholarship Challenge, contact our own Angela Totman at: angela@pyff.net

 

Here’s to building a secure financial future, starting today!

Sharon

 

Smart Money Tip of the Day:  Talk with your local banker or investment advisor about opening a 529 College Savings Plan.  These plans – named after Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code – are administered by state agencies and organizations.  The withdrawals you make toward higher education expenses are free from federal tax income.