Press Releases

For Immediate Release
April 12, 2005

Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition Wins First “State Coalition of the Year” National Award

(Madison) The Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy has won the inaugural “State Coalition of the Year” award from the National Jump$tart Coalition. The award was presented at a ceremony in Washington D.C. last week honoring the contributions of organizations and government leaders across the nation. The state Jump$tart group won for making the greatest contribution to promoting financial literacy.

“This award is a great honor for Wisconsin Jump$tart and for Wisconsin,” said Governor Jim Doyle. “This organization serves as a model for what can be accomplished through cooperation and partnership building. With the help of our Jump$tart Coalition, Wisconsin stands at the forefront in promoting financial literacy. Its members continue to work to make Wisconsin the recognized national leader when it comes to promoting financial literacy.”

The National Jump$tart Coalition created the award this year as part of its 10th anniversary celebration. The national coalition was formed in 1995 to combat financial illiteracy and has grown to 39 state coalition members in the past decade.

Wisconsin Jump$start was formed in 1999 and is made up of key financial literacy leaders. One of its greatest achievements has been the development of a financial literacy training program for educators called the National Institute of Financial and Economic Literacy. The Institute is the only program in the country to feature three unique one-week teacher-training courses each year. Last fall the Financial Literacy and Education Commission of the United States Department of the Treasury cited it as “a recognized best practice for teacher training.”

Several Jump$tart members will serve on Governor Doyle’s new Council on Financial Literacy that he created by executive order two weeks ago. First Lady Jessica Doyle, who also has collaborated with Wisconsin Jump$tart, will serve as its honorary chair.

Other Wisconsin Jump$tart Coalition highlights that contributed to winning the award:

• In 2005 the organization projects that more than 30,000 Wisconsin students will get financial literacy training from teachers who have completed National Institute programs.

• The Coalition’s work was instrumental in Wisconsin being chosen as the first state to launch MoneySkill—a free online tutorial with 34 modules that teach high school students about personal finance.

• The group supported the launch of DFI’s Financial Literacy Center www.FinLitWI.org.

• Members have held 12 Money Conferences—one-day financial education programs for families and youth held in four Wisconsin communities and reaching nearly 3,200 people.

• The majority of appointees to the 2002 Task Force on Financial Literacy, which produces the report entitled The Wisconsin Model, were Jump$tart members.

• Wisconsin Jump$tart will also have its own appointee on Governor Doyle’s Council on Financial Literacy.

For more information about Wisconsin Jump$tart contact David Mancl at 608-261-9540 or email him at david.mancl@dfi.state.wi.us. Or visit the Wisconsin Jump$tart website at www.wijumpstart.org.