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The “Money Comes and Money Goes”

Melissa Grantham’s fifth grade class at Edmond Doyle Elementary school in McAlester was the scene for the annual American Enterprise Project sponsored by the Phi Beta Lambda Chapter of Eastern Oklahoma State College. The project’s purpose “Money Comes and Money Goes” was to foster an understanding of savings and its impact on the economy.

Chapter members targeted nine to ten year olds because that is the age at which they begin learning about decimals and percentages in schools.  Also, many begin receiving allowances or earning money for performing tasks at home. In addition, research shows that the earlier and individual learns the habit of savings the more likely they will practice good money skills throughout his/her life.

The 25 fifth graders were involved in numerous activities that included an afternoon of stories with a question and answer session; math problems and computer games related to budgeting, savings and understanding simple interest; and goal setting. Each student selected an item for which to save and a target amount for each of four weeks. “I’m going to play the computer games again,” stated Brittany Webb, “the maze was cool.”

The afternoon program concluded with each student receiving a piggy bank with his/her name on it. Students also received a poster, to be displayed in the classroom, with his/her name and a place to identify the item for which he/she planned to save as well as the amount to be saved. Angelina Scott, Eastern PBL project chairperson, said “The students really enjoyed the games and were excited about getting the piggy banks.”

Chapter members will visit the class each week over a four week period and award a prize to the student who has saved the most that week. At the end of the four weeks, members will award first, second, and third place prizes to the students who have saved the most money.

Caption Info:
Edmond Doyle Elementary students seated are Cody Le Fors and Franklin Tedrick. Standing from left is Angelina Scott from Stigler, Amber Cole, Wilburton and Lindy Morgan, Wilburton.