Community Impact Award
Economics Arkansas has been providing educational resources to teachers and students across the state since 1962.
The nonprofit organization trains an average of 3,000 Arkansas teachers each year and reaches out directly to students through other programs. It participates in Arkansas Reads One Book and offers the Stock Market Game, an educational program that allows individuals to invest virtual capital. Last year, more than 176,000 students were impacted by Economics Arkansas.
According to Claudia Utley, communications director for Economics Arkansas, students are able to understand how to succeed in a free market system and seek out opportunities through economic education. Furthermore, the organization helps students learn about personal finance and entrepreneurship.
“We teach educators how to integrate economics, personal finance and entrepreneurship into the classroom curriculum, not in a stand-alone course,” Utley said. “All of our training is project-based, hands-on and creative.”
Teachers can also apply for the annual teacher grant program to receive up to $500 in funding for economic, personal finance or entrepreneurship projects.
“We want all Arkansans, not just teachers, to go to Economics Arkansas as their primary source for economic learning and information, teaching tools and training, daily tips and activities to sharpen their understanding of economics,” Utley said. “We hope that economic education, including personal finance and entrepreneurship, will eventually be taught in every grade level at every school so that all students have access to this education to learn how our world works and how they can succeed in it.”
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