Fidelity Names Utah 4-H as Nationwide Grant Challenge Winner

by | 02/11/14 | Commentary, Uncategorized

The Fidelity Investments Financial Education Grant Challenge has come to end, with Fidelity naming Utah State University Extension 4-H as the winner of its nationwide search.  The Grant Challenge was launched in September to spark individuals and organizations to submit inventive ideas regarding ways in which the financial literacy of high school students in low income areas could be developed.  More than 70 entries were submitted from 30 states across the U.S.

The partnership leverages the success that both Fidelity and Utah’s 4-H have had, including the financial expertise and resources from Fidelity, and the proven “Teens Reaching Youth” model and youth development proficiency of Utah’s 4-H.  The pilot program will enable high school students throughout Utah to receive important financial education from Fidelity’s employees, who will volunteer to teach key financial topics, such as budgeting and the management of personal finances.

One of the unique attributes of the Fidelity-Utah 4-H initiative is its peer-to-peer nature, as the students will learn how to teach and lead their peers, as well as even younger students, in becoming more empowered with respect to financial capability.

Fidelity also is looking forward to securing new learnings from this partnership that might help inform several of the company’s other educational programs.  Their selection of Utah’s 4-H was based, in part, on the organization’s prior accomplishments in reaching and engaging young people.

Many financial literacy professionals will be watching this initiative closely given the strong interest today in peer-to-peer programs as an effective means of teaching young people about financial topics.  Financial education proponents also are eager to evaluate the data that will flow from the research elements of this program, as that too can help inform and shape the success of similar financial literacy initiatives in the years to come.

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