First-, second-graders get lesson on finances

Students got some dollar-and-cents education last week during Kootenai County’s second annual Financial Literacy Week, sponsored by schools, businesses and chambers of commerce.

The week included seminars, class presentations and field trips to raise awareness about financial responsibility, organizers said.

First- and second-graders converged on local financial institutions to explore vaults, tour offices and check out the “cool” tubes used for drive-through banking, said Darin Hayes, task force chairman for Financial Literacy Week and a financial adviser at D.A. Davidson & Co.

“If they get to walk into the vault and see where money is stored, and they talk to mom and dad about it – there you go,” Hayes said. “There’s the opening to have a savings discussion.”

It’s never too early to have a money talk, he said.

“One of the big questions is: When do you start teaching kids about money? Well, as soon as they can start counting,” Hayes said. “My 2-year-old can’t count, but she knows money goes in a piggy bank.”

Financial Literacy Week organizers added the field trips this year, giving kids hands-on experiences.

Last year, about 1,000 students heard school presentations related to Financial Literacy Week, Hayes said. Organizers hoped to top that this year.

Too many young people hop on the “debt treadmill” with student loans and credit-card debt, Hayes said.

“People coming out of college are delaying buying houses, delaying marriage, delaying kids because they’re saddled with … debt,” he said.

Hyping math

Numbers will be in the air at a math festival next week at Holy Family Catholic School.

The school’s Boise Diocese superintendent, Dan Makley, is putting on the festival on Thursday for students in the fourth through eighth grades, said Cami Carlson, the school’s development director.

The festival will include a host of games and other activities and an awards ceremony for kids.

“They’re doing a variety of activities to show them all the ways they can use math,” Carlson said.

Earth Day caters to kids

Area students were invited to celebrate Earth Day by planting trees, learning about wolves and raptors and having “fun without batteries,” according to event organizers.

The annual celebration served as an opportunity to learn about the environment and become better stewards of it, organizers said.

A luncheon was held in Coeur d’Alene to honor area public schools and agencies for their recycling efforts. The school awards included North Idaho College, school districts 271, 272, 273 and 274, Lakeside Elementary School, Canyon Elementary School, Charter Academy and James Curb of Borah Elementary School.

The schools received certifications of appreciation and mock checks for the money they had saved and earned with the schools’ recycling programs.

The luncheon was followed by a tree-planting ceremony in which a community “unity” tree was planted with dirt brought by people from throughout the community.

An Earth Day fair on Saturday gave kids an opportunity to view wolf and raptor programs, hunt for prizes among vendor exhibits, have their faces painted and take part in art projects such as decorating canvas bags for shopping.

A tree climber also demonstrated how to climb tall trees safely, organizers said.