Letter to Families

Dear Family Members,

Our class has started a financial literacy and philanthropy unit called “Money Smart Teens.” Students will be asked to think about choices people make with their money, including spending, saving, investing, and donating.

 
To be successful in the long-term, your son or daughter will probably have to know more about money than we or our parents ever had to know.  Knowing about managing money wisely will give your student freedom and choices in life that they would not otherwise have.  Knowledge may help prevent somebody taking advantage of them.  Knowledge might even make them wealthy, or at least financially independent!

 
We will learn the differences between spending, saving, investing, and donating.  We will focus on saving and investing,  to examine the importance of saving early and regularly.  The concept of philanthropy (voluntarily giving or sharing time, talents or treasure for the common good of everyone) will be introduced and practiced by our class.  We will learn about the nonprofit charities that make life better for all of us in our community.

One of our projects involves collecting small change to donate to a special charity/nonprofit chosen by the students.  The money that our class gathers until the date of _____________ will be collected in one large classroom bank.  Students will not be directly soliciting money for this project, but may contribute personally, or as a family, if they wish.

Students will be asked to recommend a charity/nonprofit cause to benefit from our class donations.  Then we will make our decision as a class, using an economic decision making model.  Please discuss any nonprofit charities that are important to your family with your son or daughter.

  
We will present our donation to the chosen charity in a classroom presentation at a later date and you will be notified of this special day in case you can join us.  If you would like to contribute any of your time, talent, or treasure to our efforts at any time in the coming days, we welcome your assistance!

 
A little financial knowledge will go a long way toward helping your son or daughter be an informed and responsible consumer, producer, and citizen.  Thanks for any assistance or advice you may offer.  Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Best wishes,

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