LEAD 122: PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND COMMUNITY
SERVICE
INSTRUCTOR:
Email:
Phone:
Address:
COURSE CREDIT:
DATES, TIMES, NUMBER OF SESSIONS:
Donna Rice, PhD
[email protected]
1.757.871.1336
208 Edgemont Boulevard
Alamosa, CO 81101
2 undergraduate credits
Organization dependent (26+ each, fiftyminute sessions each semester, annually.
includes 10 - 15 hour Community Service
Learning Project)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND
COMMUNITY SERVICE, This course acquaints students with basic financial planning
concepts and illustrates how these concepts apply to everyday life. Through its seven units,
this course endeavors to teach what personal financial responsibility is and seeks to help
students to avoid financial difficulties. Topics such as the following are included: the time
value of money, earning an income, saving money, protecting assets, establishing and
prioritizing financial goals, understanding the cost of using credit, and developing a budget. At
the end of the formal instruction the student will develop and implement a ten-hour community
service learning project that includes four additional hours for preparatory efforts and a fivehundred word essay summarizing the student’s project expectations versus outcomes.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:
Goals:
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Develop the knowledge to create a personal financial plan and budget
Develop a knowledge and understanding of investments, saving, and credit to help the
student create an investment plan and strategies to handle debt
Develop an understanding of insurances, their uses in protecting against financial loss,
and be able to assess how insurance fits into financial planning
Plan, communicate, execute, and complete a community service learning project that
exhibits an understanding and ability to use the concepts studied
Objectives:
o Examine the value of having a process of planning how to use money
o Create personal financial SMART goals
o Use the decision-making process and identified guidelines to create a personal
financial plan
o Identify the sources of income and types of expenses
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o Explain how to build a budget incorporating an examination of individual
spending habits and a summary of the advantages of a spending plan
o Summarize how a budget will change during a lifetime
o Differentiate/compare between saving and investing and the risks and returns
related to them
o Examine ways to integrate savings and investing strategies into financial
planning
o Explain what credit is and compare the advantages and disadvantages of using
credit
o Explain how to manage credit wisely, the consequences of excessive debt and
the strategies to correct it
o Discuss the various types of financial services providers
o Explain how to use a checking account and savings account
o Evaluate situations that involve identify theft and deceptive practices
o Summarize how insurance is used to protect against financial loss as well as the
features and processes involved with different kinds of insurance
o Assess how insurance fits into financial planning
Course Outline:
 Identify the steps to the financial planning process, the difference between wants and
needs, and how to develop meaningful financial goals
 Learn effective money management through the process of creating a budget, learning
effective record keeping, and using a checking account
 Explain the importance of saving and investing to meet financial goals
 Describe basic investment principles and discuss a variety of savings and investment
alternatives
 Examine the use of credit as a tool to effective financial management
 Examine the importance of using and managing credit effectively and explain strategies
for accomplishing this effective management
 Learn about the different types of personal and financial risk and explain methods, such
as insurance, of protecting themselves against those risks
 Explain why protecting their assets is an important part of the financial planning
process
 Examine the creation of an outline of goals, responsibilities, and objectives for the
student’s service learning project
COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Upon completion of this portion of
the course, students will be able to:
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Discuss and express the purpose and goals of their service learning experience.
Present the need for their particular service learning education project and what the
need fulfills.
Discuss what skills or knowledge they, the student, might need for the particular service
experience.
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
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Answer what are some ways this service experience will help them become a positive
influence on others.
Analyze issues they might face, and how to deal with them in a positive way.
Develop observation skills.
Acquire student assessment skills during the analysis phase of their project.
Explore applications or future use of ideas and learning they acquire from the service
learning education project.
Develop closure techniques to their experience.
Develop a step-by-step outline of their project’s responsibilities.
Develop a set of project conclusions…goals, affect and lessons learned.
Provide a list of recommendations for future efforts in their project topic.
TEXTS, READINGS, INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES:
Texts, Readings, and Instructional Resources:
NEFE High School Financial Planning Program Instructor’s Manual and Student
Guide, copyright 2006 by National Endowment for Financial Education.
URL: http://hsfpp.nefe.org
Supplemental Reading: Supplied by each local instructor/local organization unique to its local
program and school district requirements.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
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Each student enrolled will participate in a semester-long class sponsored by their High
School, JROTC Cadre or Community Service Organization. On-site cadre will instruct
these classes. Course requirements include a student produced learning journal, regular
examinations at the end of academic classroom unit. Subsequent to academic
discussions students will complete a Community Service Learning Education Project.
A post-Project Reflection Paper is mandatory. Attendance at sessions (26 to 30 hours+)
is mandatory for all participants.
Student must 16 years of age on date of registration.
Student must not be on local academic or disciplinary probation within their school or
organizational program.
Demonstrate writing skills in accordance with local state standards for grade-level.
Instructors/mentors, on-site, submit signed grade roster of student’s achievement to instructor
of record.
GRADE DISTRIBUTION AND SCALE:
To determine a final grade: The on-site Class Instructor will grade student performance.
Grading system will be: Letter Grade (‘A-F’).
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Percentage of the final grade will be determined by:
Course Participation:
15%
Student Journal:
20%
Final Exam:
20%
Community Service-learning Project 25%
Post-Project - Reflection Paper:
20%.
Course participation will be evaluated by instructor observed student participation in small
group sessions.
Grade distribution:
93-100%
85-92%
78-84%
70-77%
69 and below
A
B
C
D
F
(continue for three more pages below)
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LEAD 122: SERVICE LEARNING EDUCATION PROJECT OPPORTUNITIES
FOR PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT CLASSES:
The National Junior Achievement Organization has a tremendous service learning
education opportunity for students enrolled in Personal Financial Management, Character
Education, and Citizenship. It consists of a 2-4 hour training class in your high school or at
a close by community facility, and a subsequent ten-hour plus program where you present a
JA prepared packet of information to grade-schoolers or junior high students. The
presentation is pre-packaged to keep your preparatory time to an absolute minimum. Visit
JA’s website, www.ja.org, or contact your local JA office to learn more about Junior
Achievement’s programs in our nation’s elementary and junior high schools.
Other Community Service Learning Education project ideas are listed below. You are not
limited to these, as you and your high school instructor/mentor can select any idea
associated with the course material best suited for you. You can even come up with a
project that requires more than an individual participant. Team projects are authorized.
Each team member must spend at least ten hours each contributing to the work, and
subsequently write their own individual papers as outlined in paragraph five of the student
packet.
Other Possible Service Learning Education Projects related to PERSONAL
FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT (NEFE HSFPP):
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
16.
Provide a Budget Assistance Program to help other students set up a budget
Create and help operate a savings program at their school
Teens Teaching Teens-Teach HSFPP to their Peers
Teach applicable HSFPP lessons to students in lower grades (partner with Junior
Achievement)
Write and put on a skit related to key concepts from the NEFE HSFPP for their school
Rent-A-Student Auction-Funds earned from services provided could be donated to a
local charity of choice or to set up a special fund for a needed cause at their school
Write a financial column for school newspaper
Design, produce, and distribute a financial fitness coloring/activity book for lower
grade students
Design, produce, and distribute a financial fitness poster
Design, produce, and distribute a financial fitness calendar
Research, write, produce and distribute a brochure or booklet on "100 Ways To Save"
(e.g., interview local elder residents on tips such as washing windows with vinegar
water and newspapers)
Research the food and other supplies and services needed to provide a community
meal each month and provide the meal
Develop budgets and spreadsheets for local services or clubs
Put comparison shopping skills to work by providing a shopping service for senior
citizens or the disabled
Produce a videotape for younger students on financial fitness
Create a puppet show for younger students on financial fitness
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17.
18.
19.
20.
21.
22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.
30.
Put on a Financial Fitness Fair for peers or community
Put on a Credit Awareness Fair for peers or community
Create and broadcast pubic service announcements on financial fitness for local media
Develop a computer educational game for use by peers or younger students
Buy groceries for home-bound senior citizens or the disabled
Design, produce, and distribute financial fitness bookmarks
Plan and conduct a school-wide one-day academic "blitz" on personal finance
Research and produce a "Yellow Pages Directory" for their class which can be
distributed to their community
Start an Investment Club at their school
Track (5) consumer products for 3 weeks and report on price fluctuation,
price comparison, and articulate via an essay as to what the outcomes of the
project produced.
With $500 to spend, purchase stock in two locally traded companies and
track the investment for three weeks, reporting back on whether there was
profit or loss and whether it was a good investment or not.
Produce a videotape on financial fitness
Create a report on (5) competing cell phone plans, illustrating the use
of good comparison-shopping skills. They will report back as to which
company's plan is the best deal for the consumer.
Prepare and deliver presentations to local community credit unions, other financial
institutions, and community service organizations, soliciting scholarships for NEFE
HSFPP participants.
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Essay Rubric
Writing Guidelines for Students and Grading Guidelines for Instructors
Service Learning (SL) Education Project
Plan, coordinate, execute, and complete your community service learning education project, complying
with your local institution’s standards and guidelines. Submit a no-less-than 1000 word essay to your
community service learning education project mentor titled: “Community Service Learning Education
Project: Expectations versus Outcomes”. Your instructor/mentor will provide additional guidance for
his/her expectations of the essay’s content.
Essay
Elements
A. Structure (20 points possible)
1. 1000 word minimum
2. Introductory paragraph
3. Body of 3-4 paragraphs
4. Concluding paragraph
B. Content (20 points possible)
1. Goals of the service learning education
project
2. Relationship of SLEP to the (NEFE,
WINNING COLORS) curriculum
3. Personal role and expectations of the SLEP
4. Actual outcomes of the SLEP project
(a) individual learnings and insights
compared to initial goals and expectations;
(b) personal reactions, feelings, growth;
(c) effect on students conducting project;
(d) impact on community or those
benefiting from the SLEP project;
(e) hopes for future SLEP projects;
(f) other
C. Mechanics (20 points possible)
1. Grammar
2. Vocabulary
3. Spelling
4. Paragraph structure (topic sentence and
supporting sentences)
D. Creativity (From your project choose and write about
at least one no more than two; 10 points possible)
1. Including visuals (pictures, drawings)
2. Using quotes from interviews
3. Telling a story or featuring a person
4. Writing a poem, rap, song, limerick, etc.
1
Not Yet
3
Almost
5
Right On
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