Last day to purchase early bird tickets to March Market Madness; new SIF logo; an interview with first-year teacher Erin Ruiz; and more!

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February/March 2016

We Have a New Look!

Stocks in the Future is pleased to share our new logo with you! It is the culmination of months of brainstorming, polling and designing that originated with SIF's Marketing Committee and culminated with a final vote from our Board of Directors. Over the coming weeks, we'll roll out the logo in various publications and at events, beginning with SIF's 2nd Annual March Market Madness benefit on March 15th. Our thanks to freelance designer Nicole Courtney for her invaluable contributions in giving Stocks in the Future a "face-lift!"

SIF Teacher Professional Development Training a Success

On Feb. 19th, veteran and first-year SIF teachers gathered at Johns Hopkins University's School of Education in Baltimore for their second professional development training of the 2015-16 academic year. There, they attended mini sessions on a wide variety of engaging topics, including "The Life and Times of Investment Guru, Peter Lynch," "The State of Maryland's Economy and Its Need for Financial Literacy," an in-depth look at math concepts within the SIF curriculum, and utilizing The Motley Fool as a new resource for their students' investment research.

Teachers left the session feeling refreshed and ready to apply their new knowledge while teaching the remaining spring SIF sessions to their students!

Session speakers (clockwise from left): Benjamin Orr, Executive Director - Maryland Center on Economic Policy; Laura Shell, 19/19 Investment Counsel; John Rotonti, Writer - The Motley Fool; Yesmeen Thomas, Professor - Johns Hopkins University School of Education.

A Fresh Perspective

First-year SIF teacher Erin Ruiz reviews investment options with her students.

Ms. Erin Ruiz, of Armistead Gardens Elementary/Middle School in Baltimore City, is new to Stocks in the Future this school year. She’s excited to share her experience as she’s teaching SIF's curriculum for the first time. SIF believes a new teacher’s perspective is just as important as our veteran teachers.

Erin’s principal, Ms. Danielle Tillman-Cromartie, introduced Stocks in the Future to her staff before the school year began, and Ms. Ruiz volunteered to host the program with her 6^th graders. After she received training in the fall, Ms. Ruiz felt she was ready to start the program with her eager students. “I believe SIF is important to my students because financial literacy is a deeply relevant topic to their lives. It’s just something they’re not going to receive elsewhere,” Ms. Ruiz spoke of the curriculum. “They enjoy it because it’s relevant, and it’s motivating to see them motivated to learn.”

Ms. Ruiz explained that the students especially love the interactive activities such as the skits throughout the lessons because it gets them involved in their learning. She said, “The students enjoy talking about money and learning about investments, and if they ever miss a class for some reason, they are eager to make up the material. The students are excited to put the money that they’re earning into stocks. It motivates them to do better in core classes and improve their attendance.”

With this in mind, Ms. Ruiz says she looks forward to having the students make investments, a sentiment with which they agree. “As spring approaches, they will begin doing background research so they can fully understand which investment choices would be the best.”

Stocks in the Future has helped Ms. Ruiz gain something as well. “Since this type of education is not normally provided in schools, I have learned new financial concepts and vocabulary I did not know about." Stocks in the Future is proud to have such an incredible teacher in the classroom!

Don't forget! Early bird tickets for March Market Madness end today. Purchase yours today and save $15! Stay tuned for a special event preview email next week. See you on March 15th!

Buy Early Bird Tickets Now!

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