PRESIDENT'S LETTER

Welcome to the Fall 2003 issue of the NAEE FORUM.  By now, most of you are “back in school,” whether teaching university classes or working with your local K-12 schools.  Where did the summer go?!  I hope your new academic year is off to a terrific start! 
                                      

Joanne Dempsey , NAEE President

Research Committee
Technology Committee

EconomicsAmerica Network News

GEORGIA
ATLANTA—The debate over what Georgia children should learn about economics and finance took center stage at a September 4th conference of key state education and business leaders.

HAWAII
The Hawaii Council on Economic Education and U.S. Senator Daniel K. Akaka co-sponsored the Economic & Financial Literacy Conference on Wednesday, August 20, 2003. One hundred and eighty-seven participants representing business, education, government, and nonprofits, gathered to focus on increasing awareness in Hawaii about the importance of economic and financial literacy; assessing the current climate of economic and financial literacy; and identifying strategies for improving economic and financial literacy in Hawaii. 

INDIANA
The Indiana Council for Economic Education has developed a set of five Financial Literacy Posters with three basic themes: Basic Principles of Economics, Managing Risk, and Essentials of Savings.  A lesson accompanies each poster to review content and aid in instruction.  In addition, a “Web Connection” on each poster provides teachers with a web site that they can use for extension activities. 

MARYLAND
The Maryland Council on Economic Education is 50 this year and will celebrate the occasion with a reception and dinner on November 4th at Towson University, which has been our home for 42 of our first 50 years

MINNESOTA 
The big news in Minnesota economic education is that our new state academic standards include economics at all grade levels K-12. Personal finance topics are included at the middle school level. Rich MacDonald and several economics teachers who work with the MN Council recently served on the committee charged with drafting the state standards. To view Minnesota’s new standards, log on to www.education.state.mn.us and select “New Science and Social Studies Standards.”

MISSOURI
The St. Louis Center will host a pre-conference clinic at the NCEE/NAEE meeting featuring The Louisiana Expansion, a curriculum unit focused on (you guessed it) the Louisiana Purchase and exploration.  The presentation will be held Thursday, from 9:15 – 12:15. 

NEBRASKA 
Bill Walstad is serving at interim director while the Nebraska Council seeks a new director.  The following is a description of the position and directions for application.

OHIO
We are very pleased to have welcomed this year two new Center Directors - Ms. Paula Aveni, at EconomicsAmerica, John Carroll University in Cleveland and Ms. Sherrie Lanier at the Loren M. Berry Center at the University of Rio Grande. Abbejean Kehler, OCEE President and Ohio State University Center Director, was recognized by BizWorld's Board of Trustees for promoting the use of their elementary business simulation kit.

SOUTH DAKOTA 
The South Dakota Council on Economic Education has been selected as a charter member of a new initiative called Communiversity.  Communiversity has been created to enhance the University of South Dakota’s economic development impact in South Dakota’s communities.  It forms the structure to deliver needed programs and services to communities that wish to replace rural decline with aggressive new initiatives in education, entrepreneurship, technology, and community planning and leadership.

VERMONT
Dr. Mike Ellerbrock, Vermont Center Director, recently received the Congressionally-sponsored 2002 USDA National Award for Teaching Excellence for all fields of Agriculture, Natural Resources, Human & Veterinary Sciences, one of a few social scientists to have ever won the award.

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