ThriveTime teaches girls across the country life-long financial lessons

Teen and pre-teen girls from 11 different Boys & Girls Clubs around the nation partnered up with the Women Presidents’ Organization, Sam’s Club and Sharon Lechter to learn life-long financial lessons by playing the ThriveTime board game on September 17. The annual financial education event, this time with the newly released ThriveTime for Teens board game, has women CEOs and leaders working with young girls to boost their financial IQ. The events took place in 11 Sam’s Club locations: Ypsilanti, MI; Chicago, IL; Dallas, TX; Denver, CO; Minneapolis, MN; Orange County, CA; Philadelphia, PA; Phoenix, AZ; Renton, WA; Secaucus, NJ; and St. Louis, MO. Over the course of an hour and a half each girl, from ages 10 to 16, learned such concepts as the benefits and risks of owning your own business, the value of charitable giving, the expenses attached to assets and much more. “This wonderful event allows young women to learn first-hand from successful women business owners, while applying the real life lessons of the ThriveTime game,” said Sharon Lechter, founder of Pay Your Family First, inventor of the ThriveTime game and a member of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy. Girl’s take away valuable lessons In Phoenix, Arizona, over two dozen girls from three local Boys & Girls Clubs sat down to learn and play the ThriveTime board game. The ThriveTime game teaches young girls the values and responsibilities of real life lessons such as owning a car, saving for college, charitable giving and even quirky consequences like having a mid-day energy drink. They’re lessons many adults often fail to grasp or apply to their own finances and lives. About an hour into playing, the girls’ had some startling revelations. “You really should save money and not spend it on silly things,” said Erica, 11. “It’s really excellent. It shows you choices when you are a teen – the right choices for life,” said Yodit, 11, about the game. By the end of the game, every single girl was visibly confident in their potential to succeed and had picked up some valuable life lessons. Each one of the girls received their own ThriveTime board game to take home, continue their education and involve their friends. “I learned a lot and [ThriveTime] teaches you how to manage money. Each time I got a paycheck [from my real job] I would blow it on shoes and clothes, but I really need to save,” said Hillary, 15. Hillary was one of several girls who left the event with a strong desire to start her own business, and the confidence to realize it was possible with hard work and education. Game leaders impressed with reactions The kids weren’t the only ones who took away valuable lessons and good impressions from the afternoon. WPO members and volunteers all had positive things to say about the experience.rnrn“The girls learned some of the consequences of their decisions and started to learn the value of a business as they progressed through the game,” said Deb Miller. Miller’s company helps establish strategic management for K-12 school systems. “I would recommend ThriveTime to teens and parents, because there is real life stuff in there – the girls have to make choices in their time,” said Miller. Those choices include how much of their time to devote to education versus part-time work, or whether purchasing a car makes sense for them or not. Several girls realized the possibility of affording a secondary education for the first time in their lives. Karie Montague, Chair of the WPO in Arizona, said, “I thought the girls got very involved. A lot of them started to make the connection that going to college is possible through scholarships, funds and other ways. Quite a few of the girls wanted to become business owners after playing ThriveTime.” ThriveTime in the future Sharon Lechter and the Pay Your Family First team are coordinating plans to have the ThriveTime game appear in retail stores shortly. The team will continue working with organizations like Sam’s Club and the WPO to provide young people with the chance to learn. “The game has some really fantastic lessons to teach teens that will set them on the right path towards a financially healthy life,” said Lechter. “We’re proud of the amazing response we’ve had from both kids and parents, and know the game can make an impact in many kids’ lives.” The ThriveTime for Teens board game is available to order on www.YOUTHpreneur.com and retails for $29.95.