TDCI: Educator Stipends Still Available for Jump$tart Conference in Gatlinburg

NASHVILLE – The Tennessee Department of Commerce & Insurance (TDCI) reminds teachers that  stipends are still available to Tennessee K-12 educators seeking to participate in the Tennessee Jump$tart Personal Financial Education Conference on June 7-9, 2017 at the Park Vista Hotel in Gatlinburg.

The annual conference is open to financial educators and practitioners ranging from public, private, and home school teachers, to community organization, non-profit, or business outreach specialists. The conference delivers professional development opportunities for personal finance educators and helps “train the trainers” who leave Gatlinburg and enter classrooms across Tennessee with new ideas and strategies to help shape the young minds of the state’s high school population.

“We encourage Tennessee educators to apply for a stipend to attend this year’s Jump$tart Conference in Gatlinburg,” said TDCI Assistant Commissioner Michael Humphreys. “Both the city and conference hotel are up and running and ready to host this informative conference centered on preparing youth for life-long financial success. We are proud to partner with the Tennessee Jump$tart Coalition to provide educators with this educational opportunity.”

The Department’s Insurance, Securities, and Consumer Affairs Divisions will attend the conference and provide the latest information on financial scams, as well as other educational material that educators can bring back and help build their curriculums for students taking personal finance courses necessary for graduation. In addition to participating in the formal learning opportunities presented by the conference, Department representatives will also be available throughout the conference to meet one-on-one with educators and others to answer questions about materials and services provided by, or available through, the Department.

The Jump$tart Conference is focused on empowering educators by offering opportunities for professional development, networking, gaining the qualifications to teach high school personal finance course, W!SE National Financial Literacy Certification, high-quality resources and lessons, personal finance exhibits, activities, presentations and more.

To encourage participation in the conference, TDCI will help offset educators’ costs associated by providing stipends to qualifying teachers. Participants can register for the conference here. The stipends will be made available by Jump$tart on a first-come, first-served basis until all spots are filled. The $200 stipends will be provided by Jump$tart at the conclusion of the conference upon
successfully attending the entire conference. A block of rooms at a special group rate is being held at the Park Vista Hotel until May 15.

The Tennessee Jump$tart Coalition is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization comprised of over 50 organizations representing business, government, non-profits, and education who are dedicated to improving the personal financial literacy of Tennessee's youth. Tennessee Jump$tart has been a leader in the financial literacy of Tennessee's youth for over 16 years.

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