Teacher Appreciation Week

In 1953, Eleanor Roosevelt persuaded Congress to create the first National Teachers’ Day. Then in 1980, Congress officially declared March 7th as National Teacher Day. Then, and five years later, in 1985 the National Parent Teacher Association (PTA), established Teacher Appreciation Week as the first full week of May.

The National Education Association calls this, “A day for honoring teachers and recognizing the lasting contributions they make to our lives.”  

 In celebration of the end of Teacher Appreciation Week, here are some stories and advice from some of our Andson tutors and teachers who provide free after school tutoring at Clark County Libraries in Las Vegas.

“My favorite thing about tutoring for Anson is getting to meet new students and watching them learn something new. I’m looking forward to spending a lot more time helping students grow and learn. My day job is working with students with autism for the Clark County School District. When I’m not tutoring, my favorite thing to do in Las Vegas is to go out and try new restaurants and find fun new things to do around town. My advice to students when they come into tutoring is to be ready to learn. The team and I are here to help you grow and we are excited to watch you succeed in your educational goals and challenges.” – Kim at Whitney Library

“I have been tutoring with Andson for over 6 years. I love being able to work with a wide variety of age groups and needs representing a large number of different schools. It’s interesting to see the expectations of one school versus another at the same grade level. I also love seeing the growth in students who have been coming to us since our site opened. What a difference knowing that our Whitney staff has contributed to this student growth is very rewarding!” – Pam at Whitney Library

“I’ve been with Andson for 4 and a half years. I like teaching students using real world situations and memes. Our team is the best team I’ve ever worked with. They’re supportive, cooperative, and most of all, empathetic.” – Angela K. at Rainbow Library

“I enjoy the interactions with the youth. I've always appreciated working with young people. Tutoring mathematics also keeps me "with it." I enjoy the challenges that come to my table! When I’m not tutoring, my favorite thing to do in Las Vegas is to go to concerts. I love music. My advice to students is to come prepared to think and work. Bringing notes from class is helpful for the upper grades.” – Tamplyn at Centennial Hills Library

“I’m a retired preschool teacher and director and I feel lucky to be on such a good team at a very good library. The team is always nice and nurturing. My advice to students is to do your best work. We are here to help you and guide you.” – Bobbi at Rainbow Library

Don’t forget today is the last day to enter the SSSCU drawing for a chance to win $1,000! In honor of #TeacherAppreciationWeek our partners at Silver State Schools Credit Union are doing a Visa gift card giveaway to 3 lucky Southern Nevada teachers! You do not need to be a credit union member to enter the drawing. Submit now for a chance at $1,000!

And here’s a list of hundreds of discounts offered to teachers on school supplies, clothing, food, and more! 

Money Management

We’ve made it to the end of Financial Literacy Month! Now we’re asking you to spend the next month working on your financial life. Using all the tips you’ve learned throughout April, how many of these money goals do you think you can achieve? 

Step One: Committing to Change

It’s simple. The first step to a better financial future for you and your family is commitment. Start by examining your philosophy about money management. Be prepared to take responsibility over your finances and watch as the benefits roll in. 

Step Two: Assessing Your Finances

The second step is to determine your financial situation. What are the areas of your life that are financially thriving? What are the areas that could use more attention? This is a broad assessment of your finances. We’ll get into more detailed expense tracking later. 

Step Three: Organizing Your Financial House

Now here is where we start to get technical! It is absolutely essential that you be an organized and diligent bookkeeper of your personal finances. Start by collecting all necessary financial information like debts, mortgages, car payments, loans, investments, etc. Anything that brings money in or sends money out, you want to document it for an accurate picture of your financial status. Organization is key!

Step Four: Cleaning Your Financial House

Get copies of your credit report from all three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. To get your free report, simply visit annualcreditreport.com. Consumers get one free credit report from each agency annually. Once you receive your reports, review them for errors and fraud. You can dispute any inaccuracies directly with the bureaus and potentially increase your score by doing so. 

Step Five: Calculating Your Net Worth

Financial education isn’t just for those with large net worths. If you have an income you can calculate your own net worth too. All you need to do is compare what you owe (liabilities) and what you own (assets). For example, if you own your car, that would be an asset, and if you pay student loans or other kinds of debts, those would be your liabilities. Now that you have an honest assessment of your current financial standing and know your net worth, you can begin to dive deeper into your finances.

Step Six: Needs vs. Wants

Make a list. What do you NEED to pay for no matter what? Food, housing, clothing, health care, transportation, are some of the most common needs. What do you WANT? Things that aren’t required for you in your daily life like jewelry, entertainment, nonessential commercial goods, and so on. Once you have your list you can start budgeting! 

Step Seven: Track and Reduce Your Spending

If you haven’t been already, you need to start a spreadsheet or other tracking method for your spending. This helps you quickly and easily identify where your money is going and where you can afford to spend less. There are three kinds of expenses you can separate your spending into . . .

1) Fixed expenses: which stay the same every month, like rent or car payments.

2) Periodic expenses: these expenses are not always the same amount, and do not occur regularly. An example of a periodic expense would be things like vacations.

3) Variable expenses: groceries, clothes, gas, etc. Items that fluctuate individually in price and varies each time you purchase said product or service. 

Once you have your beautifully organized expense sheet, you can start targeting areas where you might be able to save money. Fixed expenses are the most difficult to change, so focus on your periodic and variable expenses. Could you vacation during the off season and travel more affordably? Can you shop at consignment and thrift stores to get your wardrobe at a discount? Be honest with yourself about where you can cut back in your expenses and then start doing it! 

Step Eight: Budgeting and Setting Financial Goals

No one wants to give up their daily coffee order or skip a vacation, so don’t think about budgeting as a punishment. One way to budget is by setting financial goals. So instead of thinking about what you’re losing (that delicious oat milk chai latte from your local cafe), focus on what you will gain by putting that saved money towards your financial goals. 

When budgeting and setting goals you need to determine the specific cost of your goal and a desired target date. What is something you've been wanting for a long time? Do you want to go on a nice, long vacation this year? Do you want to pay off all your credit card debt? Do you want new patio furniture for your house? The target is up to you, and you can always save for more than one goal at a time, but we recommend starting with an attainable short-term goal first to get started. 

Step Nine: Pay Down Your Debts

If you remember one of our earlier posts this month we talked about debt management. There are two popular methods that people use to pay off debt. The first is to pay off the debt with the smallest balance, and then keep moving to the next smallest debt until all debts are paid off. 

The second popular method is to repay the debt with the highest interest rate. This method will save you the most in interest charges over time. Choose whichever option is best for your personal financial situation and makes the most sense. Remember you can always change strategies if your circumstances change. 

Step Ten: Plan for Emergencies 

An essential part of your financial goals should be saving for emergencies. It is recommended to have three to six months living expenses saved in case of emergencies like job loss, economic downturn, or any unforeseen incident that would cause you a significant financial burden. 

Now that you have begun to adapt these changes into your financial routines, you have the skills and knowledge necessary to ensure a successful financial future.

Andson Piggy Bank Partners with BusyKid Personal Finance App

According to CNBC, “high school students who are required to take personal finance courses have better average credit scores and lower debt delinquency rates as young adults.” In addition to this, each state has different standards for personal finance curriculum in their schools, and many children lack basic financial literacy skills because they are not exposed to these conversations in their homes. 

In light of current school closures and social distancing, we’re proud to announce a new collaboration that will take our Piggy Bank program virtual! 

Our Piggy Bank Program normally takes place in elementary schools, with Andson bank tellers and real money that students bring to the Piggy Bank to deposit once a week. Students then keep track of their savings in their own Piggy Bank deposit books, similar to how we balance checkbooks. Kids receive rewards for completing savings’ goals they set for themselves every quarter and get a check for their money when they graduate 5th grade.

As Andson continues to stay on the cusp of innovative financial literacy education, we have now adapted our innovative financial literacy programming to be accessible for at-home learning by partnering with BusyKid, an app that teaches kids the basics of personal finance by earning, saving, sharing, spending, and investing real allowance. 

This app teaches kids smart financial routines and brings essential financial literacy conversations into your home. Help your kids build good financial routines now by signing up today at signup.busykid.com/andson.

Here’s a breakdown of the main features of the BusyKid app:

• Parents assign chores for children (ages 5-16) and set up a weekly allowance that they approve. Think of BusyKid as your kid’s first job with direct deposit.

• Like for many adults, payday is every Friday, and money is deposited directly into the child’s BusyKid account.

• Once money is in the child’s account they can SAVE their money, SHARE by donating a percentage of their earnings to an actual charity, SPEND it by purchasing fractional shares of real stocks, or they can request cash from a parent.

• You can also award your child bonuses for extra work they’ve done, good grades, or special occasions.

• Parents must approve all transactions that move money outside of the BusyKid system. So while your child has the responsibility of choosing how to use their money, all monetary operations are still in your control.

To get the full functionality of the app you should link your bank account for direct deposit capability. You have the option to link a debit or credit card instead, but might be charged a third-party fee. 

The app is free to use, but you also have the option of purchasing a BusyKid Visa Prepaid Spend Card for $7.99/year that allows your child to shop online and in stores with the money they’ve earned. Parents have the ability to track the transaction history of card usage on the app and must approve money being transferred to the Spend Card from the app.

Certified financial planner, Co-founder and CEO of BusyKid, Gregg Murset, believes that using online technology is the way to teach kids these crucial personal finance skills. He says, “That’s the way kids are learning these days, so teaching them with coins and paper dollars just isn’t that smart anymore. Why not use some of that screen time for good and for practicing the life skills they need to fly on their own?” 

He’s even used this app with his own children, “At age 18 my son left for college with $11,000 saved up, which is more than the average American has in savings.”

Financial Literacy Month

April is Financial Literacy Month! 

Financial Literacy Month is a national effort that focuses on teaching people healthy financial habits and highlights the importance of financial literacy at all ages.

The National Endowment for Financial Education first started this observance as Youth Financial Literacy Day in 2000. In 2004, with the support of the Jump$tart Coalition and the U.S. House and Senate, April officially became Financial Literacy Month.

Forbes Magazine says that, “Financial literacy needs to permeate all communities, regardless of demographics or socioeconomic standing” and that, “It should be incorporated into school curricula, media campaigns, corporate wellness programs, and, most importantly, ongoing parental discussions.”

This is exactly the sentiment that Andson was founded on when we began our financial literacy programming 10 years ago. Andson believes in empowering students and families to be informed and active participants of their finances. It’s proven that teaching financial literacy young, sets students up for a successful future, which is why we offer our programming in schools, libraries, and community centers. 

Here’s a round up of some of the amazing things our students have accomplished this year:

• In the 2019-20 school year students in our Piggy Bank Program have made 19,828 deposits for a total of $107,866.80! 

• First Grade students at Wallin Elementary saw a 94.32% improvement in financial literacy knowledge using our financial Openvest curriculum.

You can also read previous blogs like this one, Financial Literacy in the Classroom, where we interview teachers about their experiences with our Openvest lessons.

Are you looking to take control of your financial life this month? The National Financial Educators Council is providing free personal finance resources during Financial Literacy Month at Financialeducatorscouncil.org. 

Stayed tuned for more financial tips in the month of April on our Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

Polar Shades starts manufacturing face masks and hospital gowns for Nevada

Polar Shades Sun Control in Henderson normally manufactures window treatments for its customers. Now they’ve turned to making medical masks and gowns amid the COVID-19 crisis. 

On March 25th the company began to repurpose their equipment to start making PPEs (Personal Protection Equipment) for first responders and hospitals in Nevada. Polar Shades already has two high-speed cutting tables and now these machines will be used to produce protective equipment.

The City of Henderson and the Henderson Fire Department are assisting Polar Shades to secure supplies and manage distribution. While it’s been difficult to meet the demand for protective materials during the pandemic, Polar Shades is still able to produce an impressive amount of goods in the short amount of time since they have started production.

Owner Steve Mevius and his family, along with their 70 employees can produce 2,000 hospital gowns and 8,000 masks a day, even more if they worked around the clock in shifts.

Family-owned for 25 years, Polar Shades has been a generous partner of Andson’s for years, regularly donating to our annual fundraisers that help support the youth in our community. They have a long history of altruism and philanthropy in Las Vegas, frequently donating to schools and other charitable causes. Their quick response to the needs of our community during the COVID-19 crisis was no surprise to us. We are honored to call them our friends and neighbors.

You can see more on this story at: Channel 3 News 

Polar Shades has also released this message on their website:

“We have created a GoFundMe for those who have been reaching out to donate to help with the costs of the supplies and our employees that are making this possible for the State of Nevada. 100% of proceeds go to PPE supplies and helping keep our employees employed. THANK YOU everyone for the overwhelming amount of support and kindness near and far.”

Polar Shades is asking you to call or email if you know of a facility in need of PPEs. Call 702-604-9522 or email stevem@polarshade.com or jordan@polarshade.com.

#HomeTogether: Fun & Easy Science Projects

We’ve got you covered for educational and artistic resources in all subjects! Create at-home science experiments with your kids using these entertaining and Easy Science Projects.

• Check out this recipe for a homemade alternative to play dough, Oobleck dough. All you need is dish soap and corn starch!

• In this activity kids will build a functioning heart model out of items around the house. This is a great biology lesson about how the heart functions and heart health. For your model you’ll need:

  • 3 x Pop bottles (710 mL) with caps, labels removed

  • 4 x Bendy straws

  • 3 Cups of water

  • Food colouring

  • Tape
    Modeling clay or play dough

  • Drill (or other sharp pokey for making holes in the caps)

• Easy Anemometer Kids Can Make to measure wind speed! You will need:

  • 4 cupcake liners (or small paper cups)

  • 2 plastic straws

  • pencil with eraser

  • thumbtack

  • tape

• And don’t forget about Earth Day at the end of the month on April 22. You can plan for some of these natural experiments here: Earth Day Science Activities

#HomeTogether: Art Projects for Kids

Are you looking for creative activities to do with your family during Spring Break? Well we’ve complied this list of our favorite at home art projects using minimal materials that are already around the house!

Check them out here:

• Make slime at home with this quick recipe!

  • 1/4 cup white school glue

  • 1 tablespoon water

  • 1/4 cup liquid starch

• Become your own art teacher with an easy Drip Painting using:

  • Food coloring in several colors

  • Water

  • Baking soda

  • White Vinegar

  • Bowls, one per paint color

  • Spoons (one per paint)

  • Thick plastic sheeting or plastic bag to protect work surface

  • Thick white paper

• Try this classic Melted Crayon Stain Glass. All you’ll need are:

  • crayons

  • cheese grater

  • wax paper

  • an iron

  • sharpie markers

Financial Literacy Curriculum in the Classroom

We caught up with Brian Allen, 4th grade teacher at Wallin Elementary School, to talk about how Andson’s Openvest Financial Literacy Curriculum has made a difference in his classroom.

Openvest is Andson’s original Financial Literacy curriculum used to make personal finance fun in the classroom. We asked Mr. Allen what his students enjoyed most about Openvest and he said, “The kids like the planning of their own lives, like creating budgets.” He went on to comment that his students enjoy getting to, “plan out a world in their head that is their own, and they really get excited about those activities.”

When his class started discussing budgeting, Mr. Allen said his students went on to have insightful conversations about time and money, noting that, “Time is really the highest commodity.” Naturally some students had smaller budgets than others, and not every one had to budget for the same things. Transportation, for example, became a topic of their budgets, and the class went on to explore how the amount of time one has to budget for travel can greatly affect one’s quality of life and economic position.

Another particular lesson that made an impact in Mr. Allen’s classroom was the section on investments. Mr. Allen took a unique approach to the Openvest lesson plan by having his students create their own product that they would then have to convince others to invest in. He modeled the lesson like the TV show Shark Tank, and had students present and “sell” their products to potential investors (their classmates).

Mr. Allen encourages teachers using Andson’s Openvest curriculum to, “take ownership of the curriculum,” and “make it their own.” His best advice, approach the lessons with, “an open heart and open mind.”

Watch the video below for the full interview:

At Home Learning: Free Educational Resources

Our mission remains to provide resources to educate, inform, and inspire youth through our original programs and partnerships. Andson would like to continue providing support during this time by gathering some of the resources available to extend learning and actively engage students while at home.

Online Learning & Digital Classrooms

• Curriculum and Lesson Plans by Scholastic, “Even when schools are closed, you can keep the learning going with these special cross-curricular journeys. Every day includes four separate learning experiences, each built around a thrilling, meaningful story or video. Kids can do them on their own, with their families, or with their teachers. Just find your grade level and let the learning begin!”

• Make Any Room a Classroom! BrainPOP is here to help you and your curious learners stay informed and on-track with free access during school closures.

• Check out this shared list of FREE educational subscriptions: Education Companies Offering Free Subscriptions due to School Closings

• This Reading Mama is a blog meant to “provide encouragement by way of hands-on learning activities and helpful tips and resources” for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers with students preschool-elementary school.

• The Best Online Math Resources for All Grade Levels

• Free Audiobooks and Videos: 

  • Storyline Online

  • Loyal Books

Enrichment and Entertainment!

Are your kids missing out on field trips and other enriching experiences right now? Go on an adventure from your living room with these Virtual Field Trips below!

• Travel to Paris, France to see amazing works of art at The Louvre

• Walk through the Boston Children’s Museum and other Museums with Virtual Tours 

• Tour Yellowstone National Park to see Mud Volcano, Mammoth Hot Springs, and so much more! Or visit San Diego Zoo for amazing videos, activities, and games!

  1. HOOPLA by LVCCLD is a digital media service that allows you to borrow movies, music, audiobooks, ebooks, comics and TV shows to enjoy on your computer, tablet, or phone – and even your TV! Titles can be streamed immediately, or downloaded to phones or tablets for offline enjoyment later. Borrow up to ten titles per month with your Las Vegas-Clark County Library District library card.

  2. And be sure to keep an eye on this Google Doc for more virtual field trips!

Black History Month

In celebration of Black History Month, we’ve compiled a list of notable Black Americans throughout history who have impacted and contributed to the American education system, literature, legislation, and Civil Rights Movement. 

1773 - Phillis Wheatley was the first African American to publish a book of poetry, Poems on Various Subjects, Religious and Moral. While critics speculate Wheatley wasn’t fully able to express her mind in her writing under slavery, she is still considered to be one of the most notable African American literary figures of her time. Soon after the publication of her book she was given her freedom by her owners. Wheatley then married, but her husband struggled to make money and he was placed in debtor’s prison while she worked as a servant. Phyllis passed away in 1784. 

1792 - Benjamin Banneker was one of the earliest African American intellectuals. Banneker was born free and was largely self-educated although he did attend a quaker school for a few years as a child. He made significant contributions to the fields of astronomy, surveying, and clock making and became best known for his astronomical calculations for the Almanac of 1792. 

1884 - Mary Church Terrell was one of the first African American women to earn a college degree and her father was considered to be one of the first Black millionaires of the South. She went on to become a teacher and helped found both the National Association for Colored Women and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). 

1954 - Thurgood Marshall is best known for being the first African American to serve as a Supreme Court Justice. As a young lawyer he quickly started taking on cases for the NAACP. Marshall worked tirelessly to overturn Plessy vs. Ferguson, a case that stated that segregation was legal on the grounds that it could be “separate but equal.” Marshall won many cases, culminating in his success in the Brown vs. Board of Education where the Supreme Court ruled segregation to be inherently unequal. Marshall served until 1991 and passed away in 1993 at the age of 84.

1968 - Shirley Chisholm is notable for being the first African American woman elected to Congress. She started as an educator with her Masters in Early Childhood Education. After redistricting created a new district for Congress in her area, Chisholm ran for congress and won with 67% of the vote. She kept her seat in the House of Representatives until 1982 when she retired from government and returned to teaching. She worked as an educator until her passing in 2005.

1992 - Mae Jemison was the first African American woman in space. After returning from the Peace Corps and applying for NASA, she became the first Black woman to be an astronaut in 1988. At NASA, she worked on research while at the space station and logged over 190 hours in space. Jemison left NASA to teach at Dartmouth College. She also started her own company that encourages the love of science among children and helps provide technology to schools in need.

2019 - Rodney Robinson is the recipient of the 2019 National Teacher of Year Award. Robinson works at Virgie Binford Education Center, a school inside the Richmond Juvenile Detention Center. He mentors his students and supports them with extracurricular issues as well as teaching them Social Studies and History. Robinson focuses on a learning style that will engage students to be involved and invested in their own education even after they have left his classroom.

Grant Awarded to Piggy Bank Program at Decker Elementary School!

Andson’s Piggy Bank program is completely funded by generous donations, grants, and partnerships.  In partnership with the Silver State Schools Credit Union, Andson is able to provide our Piggy Bank program in 5 elementary schools across Las Vegas. Thanks to our newest contribution, Andson can continue providing exemplary financial literacy services at C. H. Decker Elementary School! 

On Wednesday January 29th, 2020 Andson’s Piggy Bank program was awarded $10,000 by the American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation. The Dreams Foundation mission is, “to inspire, protect and restore dreams in our communities,” and their donation will go towards doing just that, empowering children through education to make their dreams come true.

Channel 8 News stopped by Decker Elementary last week to talk to our founder and CEO, Sonia McTaggart-Anderson, about the importance of saving money early to stop the cycle of generational poverty. 

Watch the full clip here: Channel 8: Piggy Bank at Decker Elementary School

Teacher Highlight: Financial Literacy at Walter Long STEAM Academy

Andson’s Piggy Bank Program started at Walter Long STEAM Academy in 2016. Since then it has grown to be one of the highest performing Piggy Bank locations. As of September 2019 Long has had 3,714 student deposits totaling $12,147.19!

We couldn’t achieve such spectacular student savings without the help of dedicated teachers bolstering student engagement with our Openvest Financial Literacy Curriculum in their classrooms. This week we’d like to highlight Silva Ponce, a first grade teacher at Long Elementary.

Andson: What made you want to become a teacher?

Ponce: I’ve always known I wanted to be a teacher. I love working with kids. I’ve been working with kids my whole life, from helping to raise my younger brothers, to participating in tutoring programs when I was in high school. My freshman year in college, I started off as a nursing major. I soon found out that Education was for me, so I switched to Elementary Education, and I am so happy I made that decision!

Andson: What do you feel is the best way to keep your students involved in learning?

Ponce: The best way to involve my students in learning is just that, involving them in the process. I also find that my students learn better and are more engaged in the process when they learn from each other. I let them talk with their teammates to solve problems together. We’ve been learning how to “coach” our friends when they are struggling with a concept rather than telling them the answer. They like listening to their friends more than they like listening to me sometimes!

Andson: How long have you been teaching Openvest in your classroom?

Ponce: This is my second year teaching Openvest.

Andson: What do you think your students enjoyed the most about the financial literacy lessons from Andson? Did you do anything to make it more personalized for your students?

Ponce: They really enjoyed the hands-on activities and games.

Andson: If you had any financial advice to give to the youth today, what would it be?

Ponce: Pay yourself first!

Watch the interview here:

Teacher Highlight: Financial Literacy at Eva Wolfe

In September 2019 we opened our 5th Piggy Bank location at Eva Wolfe Elementary School! The Andson Piggy Bank Program is the pillar of our financial literacy initiative that we started ten years ago. Wolfe’s Piggy Bank was made possible by our partnership with the Clark County School District and Silver State Schools Credit Union, and generous grants from The Las Vegas Golden Knights Foundation and the T-Mobile Foundation.  

Ribbon Cutting at Eva Wolfe Elementary

Across the Las Vegas area Andson has installed actual functioning “banks” in five elementary schools. Our Piggy Banks are staffed by Andson tellers, and include a coin machine, cash boxes, deposit slips, and lots of encouragement and smiles! Once a week for the entire school year, 1st-5th grade students come to the Piggy Bank and make deposits into their own savings accounts with real money. At 5th grade graduation, each student gets a check for the money they’ve been saving. We encourage students to continue saving by opening a joint junior savings account with their parents. 

In conjunction with our weekly Piggy Bank Program, teachers at Wolfe give in-class lessons using our one-of-a-kind financial literacy curriculum from Openvest. Openvest is Andson’s comprehensive financial literacy curriculum that meets Common Core, National, and State standards and is engaging for students! Curated by teachers, this curriculum spans grades 1 through 5 and is designed to educate the entire family. Each lesson streams online, supplemented by hands-on activities, printed in-class activities, and parent connection worksheets provided in both English and Spanish.

This month we’d like to highlight a special teacher at Wolfe who has shown exemplary enthusiasm in the classroom using our Openvest Financial Literacy lessons. 

Matthew Keener has been teaching for 19 years and currently works at Wolfe Elementary as a second grade teacher. 

Andson: What made you want to become a teacher? 

Keener: I actually started out not wanting to be a teacher. My mother was a teacher and I had aunts and uncles that were teachers. I ended up in college as a biology major on track to become a physical therapist. Then one fateful day, I took an education course taught by an amazing professor and I was hooked. The rest is history!

Andson: What do you feel is the best way to keep your students involved in learning?   

Keener: The best way to keep students involved is to model concepts in a variety of ways and provide opportunities for students to demonstrate understanding in a way that reflects them as learners. Using a student centered approach, we can understand student needs and use our abilities as educators to meet those needs with a variety of strategies.

Andson: How long have you been teaching Openvest in your classroom?  

Keener: This is my first year using the program.

Andson: What do you think your students enjoyed the most about the financial literacy lessons from Andson? Did you do anything to make it more personalized for your students?   

Keener: I think students enjoyed talking about money and the way in which saving money can help us to achieve some of our goals. I provided additional language support as well as opportunities for discussion to help students make connections to the material.

Andson: If you had any financial advice to give to the youth today, what would it be?  

Keener: I think it is important for students to know that money can help us achieve material goods, but it can also provide security. Having that “nest egg” sure can come in handy when life presents us with a challenge.

Watch the interview here:

TUTOR TEAM HIGHLIGHT: HOMEWORK HELP AT EAST LAS VEGAS LIBRARY

The Las Vegas-Clark County Library District has 25 individual branches with 675,000 library cardholders! Andson offers free after school homework help and tutoring at 8 LV-CCLD locations. In August 2019 we began our first year of programming at Las Vegas’s newest library on 2851 E. Bonanza Rd. The East Las Vegas Library is equipped with a plethora of services, amenities, and workshops. There is a cafe, a used bookstore, study rooms, a career center, a tech lab, a toy lending program, an art gallery, and a homework help center, which is where Andson tutors offer free homework help every Monday-Thursday from 4:00-6:00 p.m.

We want you to meet Rhonda, John, and Ruben, our all star tutors heading up our brand new Clark County Library District location at East Las Vegas Library! 

Ruben has been tutoring with Andson for six years and works as a Special Education Instructional Facilitator for the Clark County School District. His favorite part of being a tutoring is helping kids and their families. He likes the new and modern design of the East Las Vegas Library and says the staff is always friendly and accommodating. When he’s not tutoring he likes to bet on sports games! His advice to students is to, “Come to tutoring with homework. Attitude is everything. We love helping you, but you have to want to receive the help.”

Rhonda has also been tutoring with Andson for six years and teaches third grade at Sunrise Acres Elementary School. She’s been a teacher for 16 years! Her favorite part of the new library is the special Homework Help Room that is designated for tutoring. It’s equipped with laptops, whiteboards, and other supplies to help students with their homework. Her advice to students is, “Just try your best. If you at least make an attempt, then we can show you the correct pathway to success.” When she’s not tutoring her and her husband love to hop around different casinos and try out the themed slot machines with cute characters and bonus rounds. 

This is John’s first year with Andson. He is an Education major at UNLV and likes that he gets teaching experience while working as a tutor in the libraries. When he’s not tutoring he loves going out with his friends and trying all of the diverse foods Las Vegas has to offer like Hawaiian, Asain, Mexican, and buffets! His advice to students is to, “Put effort into learning what is happening during tutoring and take that knowledge home.” His favorite thing about the new library is that this location serves an under-served part of the community since many Latinx and Spanish speaking families come to the East Las Vegas Library. He thinks it’s great that they get to help bridge the gap for students with the support of the library staff.

Come down to the East Las Vegas Library and get A+ help from this awesome team of tutors!

#GivingTuesday December 3rd!

Giving Tuesday is a global generosity movement that takes every year on the Tuesday after Thanksgiving. This year #GivingTuesday is on December 3rd. It is a day to celebrate generosity and donate time, resources, and money to those most in need. What started as a day of charitable giving in 2012 quickly grew into a worldwide activism effort to promote donating on an international scale. 

The holiday season in the United States is often preoccupied with consumerism. Giving Tuesday was founded by the United Nations Foundation and the 92nd Street Y, a community center in New York City, as a counter action to Black Friday shopping. 

In its inaugural year Giving Tuesday reported approximately 10.1 million dollars donated to various organizations and causes. By 2013 over 7,000 nonprofits participated in Giving Tuesday and a reported 28.2 million dollars had been donated, that’s more than double the first year! In 2014 the movement had spread and reached 68 countries. Last year Giving Tuesday boasted 400 million donation dollars worldwide with over 150 countries participating!

People demonstrate their generosity in many ways. You can donate your voice, resources, time, or money. This year Andson is launching its first ever #GivingTuesday campaign. You can participate by making a donation directly on our website or by adding Andson to your AmazonSmile charity option! To designate Andson as your charity of choice when shopping on Amazon simply log in to your account, select “Your AmazonSmile” from the account drop down menu and search for Andson. The AmazonSmile Foundation donates 0.5% of every purchase you make when you shop through https://smile.amazon.com. As of November 2019 all charities registered for AmazonSmile have received $156,109,909.51! 

Andson has served over 380,000 families and students with our innovative financial literacy and academics programs. Since 2010 we’ve worked hard to empower students through education. We hope you’ll consider supporting the youth of our community by making a contribution this December 3rd. 

Personal Finance 101 - Money Saving Tips & Tricks

We all know that saving is one of the most important steps in making sure you’re financially stable. However, it is easier said than done when you live on a tight budget that does not allow for flexibility. So, we’ve come up with five Andson-approved easy ways you can start saving today without having to sacrifice your basic needs. These small steps will help you get your savings on track to a financially secure future.

1. Pay Yourself First: here at Andson, one of the first things we like to encourage through our financial literacy courses is to Pay Yourself First, which basically means saving some money from your income first before you start spending it.

2. Sell your stuff: do some spring cleaning! Collect all the things you don’t use anymore, like clothes, jewelry, electronics, furniture, and even old books and DVDs. Sell them to a thrift store, pawn shop, or online through sites like Poshmark, Craigslist, and Let Go.

3. (Try to) quit a bad habit: attempt to quit a bad habit, like drinking energy drinks, or reduce the amount you consume. You’d be surprised by how much you can save doing this!

4. Budget your food: cut down on your weekly intake of fast food, takeout, and food delivery, like Postmates and UberEats. This is manageable if you set up a budget and stick to it. Once you set limits for yourself and write those limits down, it will be harder for you to stray from them.

5. Coupon your life: download and use rewards apps for places you frequent like Starbucks, McDonald’s, Target, Walmart, and even Panera Bread. You can also use a coupon plug-in for browsers that will detect working coupons and sales available for use at the website you’re shopping at, like Shoptagr.

Saver of the Month: Erwin Perez Gaspar

October’s Super Saver is future musician, and third grader, Erwin Perez Gaspar from C.H. Decker Elementary School!

Our Piggy Bank tellers say that Erwin is always super excited when he comes to the Piggy Bank and that he always has a huge smile on his face.

His favorite thing about Piggy Bank is that he, “gets to save up for things and be successful in life." He also thinks that it’s always a good idea to “start saving for things early." Clearly Erwin is on his way for a prepared and successful future. Good job Erwin!

What is he going to do with this check when he graduates fifth grade? He wants, "An accordion, because I've always wanted to play one."

Piggy Bank Super Savers: Bryan Guardado

April’s Super Saver is future computer programmer (but current fifth grader) Bryan Guardado from C.H. Decker Elementary School!

His best financial advice is: “You should start saving because if you start saving and later in life you need money, you can have the money in the bank so you can have all the money that you need for later on in life.”

Bryan’s thinking long-term, which is evident to all the tellers who have had the pleasure of working with him! For now, though, his plans with his big fifth grade graduation check? A new pair of shoes.