A Kid Millionaire at Lindop 92? Financial Literacy Course Launched.

(Broadview, IL) – Kid millionaires in suburban Broadview?

The Lindop School District 92 Board of Education has approved a new, innovative financial literacy initiative – Kid Millionaire – to teach Lindop 8th graders how to not only jump-start savings accounts but also – most important – to transform their mindset about money, creating prosperity-conscious, confident attitudes that could yield future Broadview millionaires.

At its January 17 monthly meeting, the board approved a $46,775 contract to purchase the “Kid Millionaire” curriculum from Kid Millionaire, Inc., founded by X’ernona Woods, author of a popular children’s financial literacy book, “Save That Penny for A Sunny Day.”

“For our students, it is important to focus both on academics as well as the foundations of generational wealth,” Lindop 92 Superintendent Dr. Janiece Jackson told board members. “All of our 8th graders will participate in the Kid Millionaire program and its concepts will be fused into our 8th grade across the curriculum.”

Throughout the school year, Woods will be in the classroom on Mondays and Tuesdays to instruct students immersive by educating them on the ABCs of establishing savings accounts, but also social emotional development to shape future financial decisions across the curriculum, inclusive English Language Arts, Integrated Math, and Forensic Science.

“Social and emotional intelligence and behavior connects with your money,” says Woods. “The aim of the program is for the students to get into a space that creates a balance between the four ‘money personalities’ – ‘money hoarder,’ ‘money martyr,’ ‘money saver,’ and ‘money investor’ – you want to be balanced.”

Woods says “confidence” is essential to wealth creation and successful money management. She seeks to build confidence in the students by assigning “goal setting projects” that must be accomplished within 7-days.

“I have the students working on their goals so that they can be in a space of accomplishment and confidence by writing them down and accomplishing them in the next seven days,” said Woods. “One, it drives them to be focused; two, to think outside the box; and three, it forces them to understand that they can get anything done if they want it badly enough. It creates a space of urgency.”

Woods outlined the four top objectives that the Lindop 8th graders students will have accomplished by the end of the school year:

• Open at least one bank account. Students who open a savings account with an initial $25 deposit at Marquette Bank will receive a matching $25 deposit from the bank.
• Identify a charitable project to which to donate and to help unwind self-entitlement attitudes that children often have.
• Create a collective business that assigns each student a role, such as CEO, VP, Chief Marketing Officer, etc. and teach the importance of credit worthiness and the role of taxes in life.
• Tap into students’ inner strength to identify their personal strengths to build resilience and emotionally cope during difficult financial times.

Board President Shyrl Griffin praises program.

“When we decided to invest in a financial literacy program, the board rejected ‘cookie cutter’ programs; we wanted an innovative, engaging, and character shaping curriculum that would yield generational change for our students,” said President Griffin. “That is why we adopted Kid Millionaire because it lays the foundation for future – millionaires from Broadview.”

davidormsby@davidormsby.com