Financial Resiliency Foundation & Si Puedes Launch Bilingual Lifeonaire Financial Literacy Summer Camp for Students

Madison, WI, July 30, 2014 --(PR.com)-- Students from the Si Puedes Program are learning how to manage their money and increase their financial capability through an innovative weeklong Lifeonaire financial literacy summer camp held at the Madison Public Library at 222 Park Street.

Throughout the weeklong Lifeonaire financial literacy camp, students are creating their life visions, learning to define for themselves what prosperity, wealth, and freedom mean to them and create their very own wealth time machine that will help them manage the two most important resources they have; their money and time.

Student Karla Garcia, said, “it was a lot of fun.” When asked what prosperity meant to her she said, “having my family and future.” Student Jennifer Mauricio, said, “as a Lifeonaire you know how to take care of your money and spend and invest it wisely. But more importantly use your time to create more prosperity, doing what you love with the people you love.”

The Lifeonaire financial literacy summer camp was created by Rafael Gomes, Director of Si Puedes and Joel Thomas, President of The Financial Resiliency Foundation and WI Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy Award Winner. Gomes and Thomas both saw a need to empower underserved youth and create a program which would teach students principles on spending, saving, investing, and using credit wisely. “Increasing financial inclusion and building financial capability in the Hispanic community were a vital part of our 2014 initiatives at Si Puedes,” said director Rafael Gomes. “When I met Joel Thomas and Nicolas Tarczynski, I immediately knew we had the 'how' “what,” and passion to start doing more innovative programming that builds financial capability in the youth in our community.”

US Bank Manager and volunteer Nicolas Tarczynski taught the lesson plans and lead students on their weeklong quest to help make money make sense and become Lifeonaires. “The kids were incredibly engaged and really immersed into the games and group activities! I was surprised how much the kids were able to master financial concepts in such a short amount of time. These are the very concepts we teach to adults at US Bank every day. I’m excited to see how some of them will apply the knowledge gained and link income to education in the future. This is something near and dear to my heart because of the common background and experience I share with the youngsters. I will be eager to do it again!,” said Tarcynski.

The interdisciplinary hands on curriculum, designed by Joel Thomas, founder of The Financial Resiliency Foundation, was meant to serve as a way to enhance students critical thinking, math, and leadership skills while building their financial literacy. “Building financial capability is more than just learning about the differences between an asset and a liability, how the magic of compounding interest can work for you or against you, and passive vs. earned income. In order to make it relevant to the kids, we encourage them to create their own life vision first and then teach them how to create a plan to get there by using their money and time wisely. We ask them to simplify what prosperity means so that they can choose to live an abundant life by design, rather than by default,” said Thomas.