Please help the Texas Credit Union Foundaiton celebrate April as national financial literacy month!  This is a great opportunity for you to take a little time and learn more about personal finance yourself or teach others to become better stewards of their money.

Listed below are several main events happening in our Lone Star State in honor of financial literacy month.  We encourage you to also view the "Various April Events" document located on this page to see how other credit unions, community organizations, Junior Achievements, among many others, are celebrating this month!        

Financial Fitness Greater Austin Events 

Financial Fitness Greater Austin (FFGA) is a public education and awareness campaign designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances. This is achieved through the collaboration and coordinated effort of several organizations in the Greater Austin area including businesses, financial institutions, schools, not-for-profits, government agencies and the media. These groups came together each year to stress the importance of financial literacy, inform consumers where they can get help, and provide free educational seminars and activities throughout the week.  Programming is offered to all demographics and income levels and covers all facets of personal finance.  For more information about the FFGA and to view their April Event Calendar, please visit www.FinancialFitnessAustin.org.

Business in Action

Junior Achievement's Business in Action is a student competition featuring two distinct events; Finance Park and Biz Town.  Finance Park introduces students to the challenges of successfully operating a bank in a competitive simulated environment, while Biz Town students apply their knowledge of business as they compete online in the highly competitive industy of the fictional Holo-Generator.

Students from several area high schools have been learning the finance and business curricula over the course of the spring semester.  The top six teams from each curriculum will compete against one another at the BIA event on April 16.  

$mart Kid Essay Contest

The $mart Kid Essay Contest is aimed at helping students develop knowledge of economic and personal finance concepts, understand budgets and the importance of financial planning and become better prepared for their future roles as consumers, investors, and workers.  The FFGA Essay Contest administered by Junior Achievement (JA) encourages students grades 6-12 to answer this year's question with an essay of 300 words or less for grades 6-8 and 500 words or less for high school.  Four scholarships will be awarded based on their age.  Winners and their parents also receive a free financial planning consultation, and the prize money is deposited in an appropriate savings product in the students' name.  Please click on the link to the right to view the application and more details about the contest.  You may also visit the FFGA website, which is listed above.

Money Week Houston

Money Week Houston is a financial education and public awareness campaign scheduled for April 19-25, 2009.  MWH is designed to help consumers better manage their personal finances.  This is achieved through the collaboration and coordinated effort of hundreds of organizations across Houston and surrounding areas including businesses, financial institutions, schools, libraries, not-for-profits, faith based organizations, government agencies, and the media.  This is the second year that this event will take place.

For more information about Money Week Houston and to view their Community Events Calendar, please visit http://www.moneyweekhouston.org/index.php?option=com_eventlist&view=categoryeventsbydate&id=1&Itemid=96