Date: July 14, 2008
Contact: Eric Matanyi
Governors State University
Phone: (708) 534-4044
Fax: (708) 534-8399
Email: e-matanyi@govst.edu
For Immediate Release
University Park, IL, July 14, 2008 - The Governors State University Office of Economic Education, part of the College of Business and Public Administration, recently sponsored the 14th annual Economic Achievers program funded by a grant from the Illinois Council on Economic Education.
Forty middle school students from Harvey, Dixmoor, South Holland, and Country Club Hills participated in the three-week summer session that included a week of research at the university.
During the program, students studied economic principles, financial literacy, career awareness, and entrepreneurship. The program culminated with a field trip to the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Chicago Board of Trade. In the evening, the students, and their teachers and parents attended a reception in the university’s Hall of Honors.
“The students were very excited to come to an actual university. They used the university library and the computer labs for their research and projects,” said Sheryl Szot Gallaher, Director of the Office of Economic Education. “The staffs of both the library and the lab were very helpful. This was a great experience for all involved.”
The Office of Economic Education has worked to develop and expand the study of economics in area schools for more than 25 years.
“I teach educators how to integrate economic concepts into whatever subjects they teach,” explained Gallaher. “Almost any economics concept can be taught at any grade level. It is amazing how much children understand.”According to Gallaher, her work has grown over the last 14 years to include elementary and high school level economic education.
In addition to instructing teachers on how to integrate economics into their curriculum, Gallaher also coordinates programs that bring bankers into classrooms to teach children about saving, teaches graduate level classes to educators, and conducts workshops on economics education.
“Our office is part of a network of economic educators. We are funded by grants from corporations and from the State,” said Gallaher. “Governors State thoroughly supports our work.”
Gallaher believes the economic education is vitally important. “It is not just banks, money, and credit cards. It is the study of making choices. If young children can learn how to weigh the cost and benefits, understand the good and the bad, they can make better choices as they grow.”
For more information about the Office of Economic Education at Governors State University, call (708) 534-4926.
