Fletcher Elementary School is one of 136 Vermont elementary schools participating in the Reading is an Investment program. The statewide program promotes the importance of reading and teaching children about personal finances through a variety of books. The program was developed by the Vermont State Treasurer’s Office and is distributed to participating schools free-of-charge.
The educational focus for the 2016-2017 program is “Saving to Make Goals a Reality.” The featured books are: Curious George Saves his Pennies by Monica Perez; A Chair for My Mother by Vera B. Williams; and The Yoyo and the Piggy Bank by Susan Werner Thoresen. These books are donated to the school libraries to support the Reading is an Investment program. At Fletcher Elementary, these books add to the growing collection of Financial Literacy books on the library shelves and many of these titles can be found in the program reading list. Students will receive information about participating in the program, a Recommended Money Reading List along with a Reading Log to be completed by March 15, 2017. Additional Reading Logs can be found and printed at the website, www.MoneyEd.Vermont.gov, and are mailed into the State Treasurer’s Office.
The Reading is an Investment program takes a two-pronged approach to promoting financial literacy — class or library instruction and personal reading. Each fall, participating elementary schools receive three new hardcover books. Lesson plans and activities are included with the books to teach money concepts. At the same time, students are encouraged to participate in a personal financial literacy reading program. School librarians receive a recommended money reading list that highlights books that focus on basic financial concepts. Students who read at least three books from the list and complete personal reading requirements can send a completed reading log to the Treasurer’s office for entry in a statewide drawing for one of twenty $250 accounts in the Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan — Vermont’s official 529 college savings plan. Last year, more than 5,600 students completed reading logs and entered the drawing for the college savings accounts.
The Vermont program is underwritten by contributions to the Financial Literacy Trust Fund. The fund was created by the State Legislature in 2008 and authorizes the State Treasurer to receive money from a variety of sources to fund financial literacy programs. Major supporters of the program are the TD Bank Charitable Foundation, the Windham Foundation and Comcast. Vermont Higher Education Investment Plan prizes are provided by the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation. If you have any questions, please contact Emily DiGiulio in the school library.
Emily DiGiulio is a Librarian at Fletcher Elementary School.
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