Get The Facts
Recognized
On National Public Radio
Tess Vigeland pays a visit to her old high school just outside Portland, Or, to learn how teachers are now instructing students about money, and why more schools don't provide financial education. Melody Thompson, Financial Beginnings' Executive Director, and Todd Jones, teacher at West Lynn High School and participant in Financial Beginnings' programs are both featured in the broadcast.
- Click here to listen to the Interview
- Click here to view this Interview.
Cutting personal finance classes: Another mistake from a richer era
The Oregonian on September 27, 2009 featured an article which discussed Oregon's removal of personal finance from the graduation credit requirements in the 1990s. Financial Beginnings' Executive Director, Melody Thompson, is quoted in the article along with Brett Trosclair, teacher at Century High School and Financial Beginnings Board Member.
- Click here to view this article.
On local radio
Metroscope which is produced by Entercom interview Melody Thompson about Financial Beginnings, a non-profit organization dedicated to educating young people for their financial future. The show aired on seven Portland Entercom radio stations on August 23rd, 2009.
- Listen to interview now at http://metroscopepdx.com/podcasting.php
The ABC's of Personal Finance
On October 28, 2008 featured on the front page of the Oregonian was an article about the need for personal finance education in Oregon schools. In the article Financial Beginnings’ Executive Director, Melody Thompson was quoted.
- Click here to view this article.
Dollars and Sense
Dollars and Sense
In February of 2008 the Beaverton Valley Times wrote an article about the impact Financial Beginnings is making on the lives of students in Washington County.
- Click here to view this article.
How to Raise a Millionaire
In the December 2007 issue of Portland Monthly, which focused on education, Financial Beginnings gave tips on how to teach children about personal finance.
Light a Fire Award
In October of 2007 Financial Beginnings was recognized along with only 13 other nonprofits at the “Light A Fire” event hosted by Portland Monthly and the Oregon Community Foundation, which honors the work of nonprofits, with the award of “Best Kept Secret.” All of the award recipients were written about in the November 2007 issue of Portland Monthly.
From Our Students
“I was just getting ready to make payments on my Target card and was thinking the minimum payment thing was a good idea and a good deal. Now I paid off the whole thing in one sitting”
- Rainier HS
“I’ve already started to use the information I received in class in my outside life. It’s something that most high school students don’t think they need to learn, but actually its one of the most real lesions I’ve been taught through my high school experience.”
- Terra Nova High School
“I am really glad that Financial Beginnings got the opportunity to come talk to our class because they made everything make sent. I was afraid that I would never understand anything about any of the stuff they taught us. I would ask my parents, but all they would tell me were “You don’t have to worry about that until you are older”.”
- Rainier HS
“When Financial Beginnings told me to put money into a savings account I thought I couldn’t do that, however, thinking more about it I am going to start one. I am ecstatic to know that people car enough about us to have speakers talk to us about money and such. I am also happy to know that our whole class is now going to have great money saving ideas.”
- Miller Education Center East
Tools To Use
Financial Calculators
* Click the links below to use the calculators (opens up in a new window)
Mortgage Refinancing Calculator
Gross National Debt
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