Four Pennsylvania Teachers Honored with 'Ripple Effect' Awards for Efforts to Promote Financial Education

HARRISBURG, Pa., July 16  /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Four Pennsylvania teachers working to improve financial education in their schools and communities were honored today during the third annual "Ripple Effect" awards ceremony at the Governor's Institute on Financial Education.  

"It is more important than ever that we provide young people with the financial tools they will need to succeed as adults," Secretary of Banking Steve Kaplan said while congratulating the winners. "The educators recognized with this award are overcoming the challenges of tight budgets and scheduling hassles to pioneer new ways of teaching some of the most important lessons students will ever learn."

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 sixth year.

The 2010 Ripple Effect Award winners are:

• Charles Deal, Neshaminy High School, Bucks County
• Jill Bargiel, Juniata Valley Junior/Senior High School, Huntingdon County
• Kimberly Preston, Bradford Area High School, McKean County
• Sharon Storch, Burrell High School, Westmoreland County

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