North Dakota Securities Department and The National Theatre for Children (NTC) have partnered to educate and inspire North Dakota students and their families. From October 30 through November 3, 2017, professional actors from NTC will visit 10 middle schools with live performances of Pennies to Paychecks: Learning About Earning, sparking conversations on financial literacy in classrooms throughout eastern North Dakota. The program will focus on the following educational lessons:
- Wages minus deductions equals take home pay
- Saving and investing have different levels of risk
- The difference between credit and debit cards
- The importance of forming a savings habit
“Learning about personal finance at a young age is key to making smart decisions on money matters throughout all life stages,” says Karen Tyler, North Dakota Securities Department Commissioner. “We want to equip our students with the tools and the knowledge to develop healthy saving and spending habits before they bring home their first paycheck.”
The live program is built off a series of comedy sketches, each one posing everyday situations with financial literacy problems and solutions. While the educational content is scripted, the actors incorporate improvised lines by soliciting information from the students, integrating student input and volunteers into the show.
In addition to live performances, the program includes student playbooks (both online and print versions), teacher guides, e-books, and digital games and activities that align with the important concepts outlined in the live shows. North Dakota Securities Department sponsors every aspect of the program, making the performances and materials a cost-free supplement to lessons in math, social studies and the arts.
“We’ve educated millions of kids over the last 38 years,” says NTC president and founder Ward Eames. “A huge factor in the success of these programs is that students inspired about a topic will go home and pass that inspiration on to their families. It’s a way to spread a message into the greater community and help kids to prepare for their future. That’s very rewarding.”
For a complete list of schools and locations on the tour, contact Matt Levine at mlevine@ntccorporate.com. For more information on The National Theatre for Children, visit: www.nationaltheatre.com.
About North Dakota Securities DepartmentThe mission of the Department is to protect North Dakota’s investors through the administration of state securities laws and rules. The Securities Department is responsible for regulating the offer and sale of securities in North Dakota. It registers and monitors the firms and individuals selling securities or providing investment advice to North Dakotans, and registers securities offered and sold in the state. Through its investor education programs and resources, the department strives to help North Dakotans make informed investment decisions, avoid fraud and build financial security. www.nd.gov/securities
About The National Theatre for ChildrenNTC is a premium provider of educational programming with operations in the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. We work directly between schools and clients to promote beneficial behaviors and life skills to students in grades K-12 on a local, regional and national level.
Since 1978, we have formed connections and helped develop relationships between thousands of schools and corporations, nonprofits and governmental organizations. Our value is not just in the impact we create; our turnkey services also change the lives and trajectories of students, mobilize parents and entire families with beneficial messages, and cultivate community-wide goodwill for clients.
Our award-winning educational programs are provided free for schools and are customizable to accommodate specific messages and goals for clients. Through formats including live performance, in-class discussion, graphic novels, print curriculum, and digital games and activities, we present topics such as energy conservation, safety, financial literacy, STEM, water and environmental stewardship, and health and social responsibility in ways that engage and empower students. In doing so, we are helping our clients to be forces of change for students, parents and communities.
Visit www.NTCcorporate.com.
Please direct inquiries to:
Matt Levine
Client Services Representative
mlevine@ntccorporate.com
Lauren StrindenInvestor
Education Coordinator
lastrinden@nd.gov