PAYING DIVIDENDS EVERY DAY

SNEAD HALL 301 W. MAIN ST./BOX 844000 RICHMOND, VA 23284-4000 PHONE (804) 828-1627 FAX (804)
828-7215

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE More information: CHAIRMAN

A. Eric Kauders, Jr.
Judi Crenshaw
Communications & Development Relations Director VICE CHAIRMAN
Philip A. Brooks
(804)827-7402 jwcrenhsaw@vcu.edu
SECRETARY/TREASURER
Donald B. Dodson
Class of 2017 High School Grads Equipped with Financial Skills
- Thanks to New Required Course in Economics and Personal Finance - EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Daniel R. Mortensen

May 4, 2017, Richmond, VA As the first to graduate with Virginias new required course in
Economics and Personal Finance, this years seniors are better prepared to deal with financial
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
challenges and poised to help strengthen the states economy. MEMBERS
Kartik B. Athreya
Virginia is one of only three states with a full-credit high school requirement, says Daniel James Patrick Belk
John Culbertson
Mortensen, Executive Director of Virginia Council on Economic Education (VCEE). This gives Susan F. Dewey
J. Curtis Hall
Virginia a competitive advantage over other states, according to Mortensen. VCEE and its Jeffrey R. Leopold
partners believe that the required course will help Virginias students be: Robert C. Maddux
Lynne Mallory-Winter
more informed decision makers E.G. Miller
more prudent consumers and investors Stephanie R. Peters
S. Buford Scott
more productive employees and entrepreneurs Barry L. Thomas
Bruce T. Whitehurst
Not only will students gain essential life skills, but theyll learn how businesses compete and
what it takes to succeed, Mortensen adds, Students come out of this course knowing how BOARD OF DIRECTORS
to make a positive impact on Virginia's workforce. Kenneth C. Blaisdell
John C. Brennan
J. Alfred Broaddus, Jr.
A public/private partnership came together to help make the initiative a reality beginning in Stephanne Strickler Byrd
John M. Carter
2009. A group of Virginia businesses, along with VCEE, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond, William S. Cohen
and Virginia Department of Education, faced the challenge of training high school teachers in Christopher B. Colburn
Roger L. Frost
economics and personal finance, with no funds provided for the task. The collaborative group Suzanne M. Gallagher
created the relevant state Standards of Learning and raised the funds needed to prepare Bradley H. Gunter
Honorable Franklin P. Hall
teachers. To date, VCEE has trained more than 2,200 Virginia high school teachers and Olin V. Hyde
provided the necessary classroom resources. Details at VCEE.org. Darius A. Johnson
Hugh D. Keogh
Jon C. King
"From the beginning of the effort, we've believed that a required course in Economics and Jerome T. Lienhard II
Shawn P. McLaughlin
Personal Finance would help students make better financial decisions and would lead Virginia Leigh B. Middleditch, Jr.
toward a stronger economic future," says Bruce Whitehurst, President of Virginia Bankers Derek Mohar
James E. Scanlon
Association, one of the early supporters of the Economics and Personal Finance course. Rob Shinn
Steven R. Staples
Jane G. Watkins
This type of real-world economic education will be transformative for Virginias economy and Winston Weaver, Jr.
serve our young people well throughout the rest of their lives, Whitehurst asserts. Patricia I. Wright

# # #
hghgh www.vcee.org
The Virginia Council on Economic Education (VCEE), a nonprofit organization, provides Virginias
K-12 students with the financial skills needed to succeed and thrive. By providing quality training and up-to-date VCEE is a 501 (c)(3)
resources, VCEE partners with teachers to help students develop decision-making skills needed to be informed nonprofit organization
consumers, productive employees or entrepreneurs, thoughtful investors, and reasoned voters. VCEE.org.