The Sidekick Financial Education Award recognizes educators in our community who help their students develop responsible financial behaviors through classroom curricula, creative learning strategies, and student engagement.
National Financial Literacy Month is recognized in April as a way to promote the importance of financial literacy and to teach Americans of all ages how to establish and maintain healthy and responsible financial habits.
The Sidekick Financial Education Award recognizes educators in our community who help their students develop responsible financial behaviors through classroom curricula, creative learning strategies, and student engagement. Award recipients exemplify a passion for and commitment to the success of their students in the classroom and beyond, not just in general education, but in life skills, including financial capability.
2019 Sidekick Educator Award Winners
Through its financial wellness program, SIDEKICK, MAX is proud to recognize the important role that teachers play in the financial education development of our local youth. In April 2019, SIDEKICK hosted the 2nd Annual Financial Educator Award competition and recognized three outstanding teachers who bring passion, dedication, and enthusiasm for financial education into their classrooms. Nominations were collected from all over MAX’s chartered area and public voting took place at the end of April. Each of the top three educators were awarded gift cards to purchase supplies for their classrooms.
First place winner, Amelia Farrior, teaches Banking and Accounting courses to students in the 10th -12th grades at Montgomery’s Sidney Lanier High School. Mrs. Farrior incorporates project-based learning in the form of entrepreneurship and business proposal projects that help her students truly grasp the concepts they learn about in class. By inviting local businesses and community leaders to speak to her classes and participate in the students’ business project, Mrs. Farrior, shows her students the long-term impact of their career choices. In describing Mrs. Farrior’s commitment to her role as an educator, her nominator says that, “she goes above and beyond to help each student achieve success in and outside of the classroom.”
Second place winner, Henry Tellis, teaches 11th and 12th grade U.S. History, Government, and Economics at Sidney Lanier High School. Mr. Tellis successfully engages his students in the topic of economics, by applying the subject to their everyday lives. In his classroom, students learn about family budgeting, establishing a small business or non-profit organization, and investments. Mr. Tellis even brings parents into the financial discussion through his family budgeting activity. Mr. Tellis works to inspire his students with the skills to pursue a debt free life, serve the communities in which they live, and to embody an entrepreneurial spirit. We tip our hats to Mr. Tellis for the great work he is doing at Lanier High School and in the local community.
Third place winner, Julie Crockett, teaches Sports and Entertainment Marketing and Law in Society to students in grades 9-12 at Wetumpka High School. Mrs. Crockett simulates real-world situations for her students to help them learn about budgeting, credit, and investments. Through project-based learning, Mrs. Crockett’s students track their spending to create a personal budget and engage in a stock market simulation to learn about investments. According to her nominator, Mrs. Crockett “has a passion for working with her students to ensure their success both inside and outside the classroom.”
These three teachers are just a few of the superhero educators that the SIDEKICK program is proud to support. Over the past three years, SIDEKICK has been a champion of financial literacy initiatives in Central Alabama and has had the honor of working with over 40 area schools and community organizations. Visit mymax.com/SIDEKICK to learn more about financial education programs, on-demand digital learning, and one-on-one financial wellness coaching.
MAX Credit Union is a full-service financial institution serving Central and East Alabama, including Montgomery, AL; Auburn, AL; Opelika, AL; Prattville, AL; Wetumpka, AL; and Troy, AL.