East High Students on Hand as Governor Branstad Signs Proclamation

East students Prisma Ruacho, Chelsie Warren and Katelyn Worple with Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Governor Kim Reynolds

Governor Terry Branstad signed a proclamation on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 establishing April as Financial Literacy Awareness Month in Iowa to bring attention to the importance of financial education and economic empowerment. The proclamation was introduced by the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid) as part of its statewide effort to bring financial literacy to every school in Iowa.

East High School students Prisma Ruacho, Chelsie Warren, and Katelyn Worple, who are currently enrolled in a personal finance course at East High, joined Governor Branstad for the signing. Representatives from the Iowa College Student Aid Commission, the Iowa Insurance Division, Iowa Division of Banking, Iowa Bankers Association, Iowa JumpStart Coalition, and other financial literacy advocates also were on hand.

Iowa College Aid provides Iowa high schools and colleges with free access to online financial literacy programs, the Iowa Financial Literacy Program, and  Buttonwood.^TM

In an effort to further raise awareness of the importance of financial literacy education, Iowa College Aid is sponsoring the Iowa Financial Literacy Program (IFLiP) Video Clip Contest. The challenge, which runs through April 22, 2012, provides Iowa high school students the opportunity to earn money for their team and their high school while educating their peers on the importance of financial literacy. The team with the winning video will receive a $1,000 technology grant for their high school and $250 for their team members to share.

For more information about the challenge visit http://www.iowacollegeaid.gov/Highlights/videochallenge.html.