FSCJ Center on Economic and Financial Education Participants Honored by Florida Council on Economic Education

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Twelve local educators received honors from the Florida Council on Economic Education (FCEE) for their commitment to economic and personal finance education through Florida State College at Jacksonville’s (FSCJ) Center on Economic and Financial Education (CEFE).

The following educators received the FCEE Regional Economic Education Leadership Award for their work with CEFE and in their classrooms:

Abby Bachmayer, Orange Park Elementary School
Theresa Brazee, Pine Ridge High School
Batul Fatima, Orange Park Junior High School
Eric Fields, Mandarin High School
Asia Hutchings, Rutledge H. Pearson Elementary School
Phyleshia Jackson-O’Neal, Jean Ribault Senior High School
Rebecca James, Orange Park High School
Anne O’Renick, Green Cove Springs Junior High School >br>Rachel Smith, Edgewater High School
Nathan Stanley, Bishop Snyder High School
Janice Van Delinder, Yulee High School
Dr. Kesha Walton, Sandalwood High School

Each award recipient has devoted time and energy outside their classroom on professional development activities and opportunities to enhance the learning experiences they share with their students. Many of them lead and sponsor after-school enrichment clubs, mentorship programs and hands-on activities designed to develop financial literacy in elementary through high school students.

In addition, Eric Fields received the Charles C. Harper Economic Educator of the Year Award. To be considered for the Charles Harper award, a teacher must be nominated by multiple people and show strong leadership in the field of economics. Having worked in economic education leadership for many years, Mr. Fields also serves as the Teacher Mentor for CEFE, is an Advanced Placement (AP) Microeconomics Reading Table Leader, and leads workshops for teachers and students with the Foundation for Teaching Education. His students routinely place high in state and national competitions including Rockonomix, the National Personal Finance Challenge and the National Economics Challenge..

“It has been a privilege to work with this group of devoted educators who have taken the time to invest in their own education because they really care about seeing their students succeed in school and in life,” said Professor of Economics and CEFE Director Susan Reilly, Ph.D. “We know that if we are able to reach these students at a young age, we can help them develop wise spending and investing habits so they will be equipped for furthering their education, a successful career and a secure, fulfilling life.”

Through CEFE, Dr. Reilly works to empower area educators to lead financial literacy instruction and programs so students are well-prepared to succeed in life beyond high school. The program focuses on three fundamentals for effective economic and personal financial education in schools:

1. Teachers must be knowledgeable about the subject and be able to help students learn how to use basic economic and financial concepts to analyze personal and social issues.
2. Curriculum guides and instructional materials that present economic content at an appropriate level for student comprehension are necessary.
3. Economics must have a central place in the school curriculum so that substantial classroom time is devoted to economics instruction.

To learn more about the CEFE, visit fscj.edu/community/center-on-economic-and-financial-education.