Five Pennsylvania Teachers Earn 'Ripple Effect' Awards for Efforts to Promote Financial Education

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 22, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Five Pennsylvania teachers working to improve financial education in their schools and communities were honored today during the fourth annual "Ripple Effect" awards ceremony at the Governor's Institute on Financial Education.  

"Pennsylvanians want to increase their financial literacy to help them navigate through an increasingly complex financial marketplace," Secretary of Banking Glenn E. Moyer said while congratulating the winners. "My hope is that these awards will create ripples of progress to our young people. It is one of the best things we can do now to help secure the future for our children and grandchildren."

The 2011 Ripple Effect Award winners are:

• Jill Bargiel, Juniata Valley Junior/Senior High School, Huntingdon County
• Matt Bergman, Milton Hershey School, Dauphin County
• Donna Gavitt, Selinsgrove Area High School, Snyder County
• Melissa Golden, William Penn Senior High School, York County
• Susan Solt, Panther Valley High School, Carbon County

The awards were presented at the conclusion of the Governor's Institute on Financial Education at Elizabethtown College in Lancaster County. The weeklong program, offered by the Pennsylvania Office of Financial Education, is designed to help teachers integrate financial concepts – such as budgeting, saving and borrowing wisely – into their existing lesson plans. Approximately 90 teachers attended the Institute, which is now in its seventh year.

For more information about the Department of Banking's Office of Financial Education and the Governor's Institute on Financial Education, visit www.moneysbestfriend.com.

Media contact: Ed Novak, 717-783-4721 or 717-412-8107 (cell)

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Banking