Join us for Nevada's Big Give on April 25th!

On November 27, 2012, the Andson Organization was granted full public nonprofit 501(c)(3) status by the Internal Revenue Service.  This nonprofit status is leading the way for many new and exciting changes for our organization.  Our academic programs are gaining momentum and we are taking all the necessary steps to ensure our "abilities" - sustainability, accountability and credibility.

As we reach different milestones, we would like to invite you to participate in the upcoming Nevada's Big Give on Thursday, April 25th and help us set our first-time record of online giving.  No donation is too small, and your contribution will go directly to support our Homework Help & Tutoring Program.

Nevada's Big Give is an online giving initiative that has a goal of raising $1 million in one 24-hour period for more than 400 nonprofit organizations across the State. This is an opportunity for all of us to get involved in our communities and give back a little.  All donations will be made online through one central website where you can find, and support the cause or causes closest to your heart – mark your calendar and stay tuned for more updates!

For more information on supporting the Andson Organization and its academic programs, contact Andrea Pineda at andrea@andson.org

Savvy Shopper's Corner! Some Tips For Smart Shopping!

Every day someone overspends when shopping at the grocery store. Often, items end up being tossed out or never used.

Here are a few helpful tips to cut back on excess spending when shopping at the supermarket.

1. Make a list! It only takes a few minutes to prepare but it will save you from wandering down the aisles and prevent you from shopping for unnecessary items.

2. Substitute supermarket brands for brand name products.  You can save on generic, non-perishable snacks, cleaning products, paper goods, and diapers. If you are used to brand name goods, try swapping one or two items to start. Even switching a few items on your shopping list will help you keep more money in your pocket.

3. Buy ingredients rather than prepared products. If you have time to make your own pasta salad at home, you can save money by preparing it yourself versus buying it pre-made at the store.

4. Convenience is costly! Buying fruits and vegetables and cutting them yourself is cheaper than buying pre-cut fruits and vegetables that cost double the price.

5. Learn to buy in-bulk! Buying larger boxes of cereals, crackers, and snacks will last longer. Stock up on items on sale that you use often and store in pantry with early expiration dates in front.

6. Using store and manufacturer coupons can also reduce your total costs at the checkout.

7. Buy a filter for your tap water! It will be more cost effective than buying bottled water.

Never too early to teach children financial resposibility

As we continue to focus our efforts on behavioral finance, we like sharing stories that are worth reading and can help us put into perspective the real challenge of financial literacy. The following article, written as a letter to parents, not only provides insight on how to teach children financial responsibility at various ages, but it also reiterates the importance of early education and parent engagement. Parents and culture will definitely influence the way children understand money and the habits they will develop and continue into adulthood.

Dear Parents,

The long-term key to improving America's overall financial literacy quotient is to get to the kids. What's important is to establish good financial behaviors early because those behaviors will carry over to adulthood. As a father of four, and grandfather of nine, I've seen it work firsthand. Start early, insist on consistency in behaviors, and set a good example. Monitor your saver's progress and celebrate the successes. With that mantra, here's how to get started:

When kids can walk, it's time to start saving. Establish the first behavior of saving by teaching your child to drop coins in a piggy bank or a jar. Explain the meaning of the word save.

Show the money. Periodically, show the child that consistent saving adds up by regularly tallying up your savings.

Take it to the bank. Make a ceremony of taking the child to the bank to deposit the jar of money. Teach them that the bank will give them money (interest) to "store their money."

If there is an allowance, it's time to budget by putting savings first. No matter what the size of the allowance is, break it down between what they can spend, and what they have to save. Note: this may be your first financial "negotiation" with your child - start with saving 50%, and settle for 25%.

The first large purchase. As your child ages, he or she will inevitably want to spend their entire savings - on one item. The answer is "no." Modify budget into more line items - discretionary spending, mandatory saving, and "saving for the large item." This is where the behavior of "buying within means" is established.

"But, I want it now..." This may be the time to develop a new financial concept - borrowing money. That's okay as long as the rules are set, and the "borrower" adheres to them. This is where the behavior of "borrowing within means" is established.

"Can I have a credit card?" Response: No, it's too early. We're sticking to the plan above. However, let me teach you about credit cards - after the "eye roll," stick to your game plan.

"My friends have credit and debit cards." Response: I'm happy for them. We're sticking to our financial plan, and here's why. In my own experience, my children were grateful for instilling financial responsibility at a young age. Start early, consistency, monitor progress, and celebrate success - I'm convinced that's the formula for increasing America's financial literacy quotient many times over. Get to the kids.

Proud Grandfather, Carl George, CPA

Note: This letter first appeared as an e-Wealth Coach article from America Saves. Carl George is the Senior Executive Partner at Clifton Gunderson LLP, a national CPA firm; past Chairman of the National CPA Financial Literacy Commission of the AICPA, www.360financialliteracy.org and www.feedthepig.org; and the proud grandfather of 9.

Education + Personal Finance are the foundation of Andson's April workshops

Andson is constantly committed to teaching students Personal Finance skills. It's April! That means it's Financial Literacy MONTH! We have identified a few key areas that we can really have an impact for students in just one short lesson. Education is an investment that students NEED to make - whether trade school or college, students with a secondary education will have more opportunities than those who only graduate high school. So how can we make sure students have a foundation to understand that debt can hurt a student fresh-out-of-school faster than any other force?  

In April, Andson's Financial Team will work with the following institutions to inform students about the pitfalls and positives of credit - as well as provide ongoing support to these student bodies.

• Desert Oasis High School - Seniors will go through an intense Debt and Financial Aid seminar on 4/23. We will be working with over 600 students!

• Nevada Partnership for Homeless Youth ⁃ Nevada has a serious issue with teens that are homeless. However, given the right resources, they can go on to be successful. These students, more than any other, need to be made aware of the resources they can use to fuel their mission of independence and success.

• Nevada State College is an amazing school in the southeast of Henderson. NSC and Andson are partners in so many activities, so it seemed only natural to bring a seminar on pitfall and installment credit to their student body. We are so happy to provide this as a resource to students in Southern Nevada.

We are so proud to be a part of Southern Nevada - let's give our students the resources they need to succeed!

ELL Students: Turning Weakness Into Strength

One of the many challenges facing the Clark County School District is helping English Language Learners (ELL) - about 53,000 students who themselves and/or their parents do not speak English as a first language.  Clark County has the nation's third-highest population of ELL students as a percentage of total enrollment.

After the appointment of Ms. Lucy Keaton as first assistant superintendent of CCSD’s English Language Learner program just over a month ago, and as the issue came up again at the CCSD Parent and Community Forum, we must ask ourselves what would happen if we are able to turn this weakness into a real and competitive advantage – it could go beyond lower dropout rates!

Hoping that most of these students would want to preserve their parents' native language, they will not only have a higher chance to graduate from high school, but they would also be fluent in both languages. The advantage does not stop at being bilingual with no accent, apparently there are other cognitive benefits that would have positive effects on children's development.

"Researchers have shown that the bilingual brain can have better attention and task-switching capacities than the monolingual brain, thanks to its developed ability to inhibit one language while using another." Read More

"Speaking two languages rather than just one has obvious practical benefits in an increasingly globalized world. But in recent years, scientists have begun to show that the advantages of bilingualism are even more fundamental than being able to converse with a wider range of people. Being bilingual, it turns out, makes you smarter." Read More

"Because of its growing number of non-English-speaking students, the School District has created a new administrative position to oversee all of the English Language Learner programs."  Read More

Behavioral Finance and Andson - worksheets alone don't work

A statistics professor in my MBA program made a statement on the first day of class, "I can train you how to be a $10 calculator, or I can train you how to think."  Obviously, gone are the days of living without smart phones, auto-correct and calculators.

So why are we still teaching personal finance as textbook terms and definitions?  Why are we spending time on the things that students will inevitably forget; more importantly the things that they can easily look up on their phones? (Please Note: We do worry about many students' capability to spell and do simple math, but that's why we created Andson Academics).

We need to teach them that knowledge equals power. When faced with questions about IRA accounts, APRs or the details of an annuity, do some research on Google, instead of believing the salesman.  We need to be able to instill that delayed gratification and PYF (pay yourself first) gives them spending choices and spending power.

Behavioral Finance is the term that is gaining ever-so-much momentum right now in this field.  That is, instead of teaching a student about textbook definitions, let's teach them how to think about finance.

• What should I be leery of?
• When does an interest rate raise a red-flag?
• What are the fees that will be involved?
• Where can I go for help outside of a payday loan?

All of these are examples of teaching young people how to think about their money.  Time Business & Money has a great article right now on the concept of changing behaviors instead of just teaching facts.  We couldn't agree more and in fact pride ourselves and our programs on providing more than just a workbook or worksheet.

Roth, who runs the infamous blog Get Rich Slowly admits that he himself learned all the "basic financial literacy," in his senior year of high school, but was no better because of it.

Roth goes on to say that personal finance is something internal for most people - though for many there is definitely a cycle of poverty they need to overcome.  What needs to be taught is that in order to make a change, it needs to happen within us.  Otherwise it's just like a fad diet - you always end up back at square one.

I myself cannot begin to count the amount of times that we see young people that just don't want to end up in the same debtor situations they've seen friends or family end up in.  Many times that's enough and it works.  More often than not though, one is the sum of their surroundings; so bringing a fresh way of thinking and perspective into the classroom is more important than ever.

Let's continue with a mission to change behavior in our students, and not just make them calculators and dictionaries when it comes to personal finance.

Sources:

Time Business & Money

http://business.time.com/2013/03/11/why-financial-literacy-fails/

JD Roth

http://business.time.com/author/jdroth/

Get Rich Slowly

http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/

Helpful Tips to Paying off Your Student Loan

When it comes to college, most people find the biggest struggle is being able to pay for it. Some people do not even go to college because of high tuition and other extra costs like books and parking passes. It seems almost impossible to attend college without having to take out  a student loan. But once school is over and you get your degree, student loans are dropped on you and it is up to you whether or not you will successfully pay them off.  People are defaulting more than ever because of the unexpected high monthly payments. People do not consider the interest of a loan, how long it will actually take to pay it off, or that maybe their career will not be as successful as planned. The best way to avoid the unexpected feeling and stress of student loans is planning. The sooner you start planning for college and researching different types of tuition plans, the more control you will have of your future. You never want to accept the first plan that a person hands you. Researching and talking to advisors will help you decide. Advisors can be anyone from a financial advisor to a friend that you trust.

Be prepared to start paying off your student loan as soon as possible. A big way to put a dent into your student loans is to pay more than the minimum payments. Even an extra $20 can make a difference. The extra $20 can come from budgeting your money properly.

These are just a few helpful tips for you but there are several different ways to help you with your student loans. Again, planning is key! Prepare yourself for a more successful future!

To obtain more information, read:

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/6-tips-paying-off-student-132815610.html

What a Wonderful Breakfast!

THANK YOU!!!

On Tuesday, February 26th,  the Andson and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson hosted the 2013 Faces of the Future Breakfast that benefited educational programs at all the clubhouses across the Valley.  The breakfast not only gave local community professionals the opportunity to meet and mingle, but also provided a glimpse into the work being done to equip children and young adults with the skills and knowledge they need to thrive.

Thank you to everyone who took time out of their busy schedules to attend the 2013 Faces of the Future Breakfast, as well as those who decided to generously made a gift in support of our efforts. It has been an incredible year for the Andson Organization, and we were happy to celebrate education with over 200 guests in attendance.  The breakfast aimed to raise funds for our Homework Help & Tutoring Program, which has grown to nearly 700 students per day throughout the Valley, also increased community awareness of our organization and forged new relationships with key community partners.

We are also grateful to our guest speakers, sponsors, community leaders, and each of our table captains for their dedication and partnership. Without their valuable contribution, it would not have been possible to have had such a successful event - please join us in thanking them!

Guest Speakers Katie Decker Ryder Donohue Terry Manley Lauree Porter Ken Rubeli Christine Spadafor

Sponsors Molly Malone's Irish Pub Morrissey Insurance NV Energy Southern Highlands Charitable Foundation Whole Foods Youth Charities of Southern  Nevada 

Vendors PM Digital Rebel Party Rentals Ricardo's

Community Leaders Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson City of  Henderson Clark County School District Communities in Schools Goodwill of Southern Nevada HopeLink of Southern Nevada Nevada State College Silver State Schools Credit Union St. Jude's Ranch for Children United Way of Southern Nevada Vegas PBS

Acknowledgments James Duplisea Natalia Hsiao Cass Palmer Andson Academics Tutors Andson Staff Boys and Girls Clubs of Henderson Staff

Congratulations Tom DeVore Stephanie Garcia-Vause Sean Johnson Ulysses Martinez

More photos on our Facebook page!

Bridger Middle School Starts After-School Tutoring Program!

Children’s Education is top priority at the Andson Organization. At the beginning of this semester of school, we had the privilege if being a part of Bridger Middle School and the after school tutoring program. When we started the involvement in the beginning of January, we met with Kalah Washington who took charge. In October 2012, the Las Vegas Sun wrote an article about the amazing job that Kalah does, and the impact she makes as an employee of Communities in Schools. When Kalah walks through the halls of Bridger, the students cannot help but to say, "Hi!". Everyone knows who she is and what she does. The Communities in Schools program is designed to help underprivileged children get the support they need whether it is in school or at home. Kalah offers schools supplies for any child that needs it, including backpacks. If a child needs a new shirt or pair of jeans, Kalah is able to supply it. If the child needs food, Kalah is able to supply canned food for the whole family. Not only does she provide the children with physical goods but she also provides them with emotional support. Kalah counsels the children from school issues to personal issues.

Every Monday through Thursday after school, you will find Kalah inside the school library helping tutor the students. She provides discipline and a nurturing environment for these students that volunteer to be in the after-school tutoring program.

All of us here at Andson have been excited to be a part of what Kalah and Communities in Schools is doing. We hope to keep up the good work and be able to support the community like they do!

Article Information: http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/oct/13/nonprofit-group-picks-where-schools/ 

We are at Nevada Assets and Opportunity Summit!

We are at a conference in Reno, NV right now. Boring? Absolutely not! Today we are so lucky to have NV Treasurer Kate Marshall with us. (Shameless Plug- Ms. Marshall recently visited The Piggy Bank at Bracken). Our lunch keynote speaker was Jose Cisneros, city of San Francisco Treasurer - who talked about the extensive Financial Services they've come to provide. A great City, yes; but totally replicable (and the city of San Francisco is committed to helping do this in other cities!)  

Inspiration in the workshops today is incredible. Anee Brar heads up the city of San Francisco's K-to-C program; every child that starts Kindergarten gets a savings account with matches and incentives for college. IF YOU HAVE A SAVINGS ACCOUNT FOR COLLEGE - YOU ARE 6 or 7 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO GO TO COLLEGE. Parent Engagement is also important so we hope to be able to share common and best practices in the future.

The afternoon session was Behavioral Economics, hosted by PHd students from UNR, as well as Mark Pingle, professor of Economics from UNR. It was very interesting to get some technical reasons as to why people make the savings choices (or don't).

The programs are coming to a close - but we do have a Q&A regarding consumer protection in personal banking and finance. Very important and pertinent for young bankers who don't have experience with banking products.

This is one of those trips that we are so glad we took the time to make. Thank you to the Financial Stability Partnership for hosting this inaugural summit. We will make it a point to be here every year.

Silver State Schools Credit Union College Scholarships!

Are you a senior at a Nevada High School looking for college scholarships? Deadlines are coming up pretty fast but you can still apply for one of the six college scholarships that Silver State Schools Credit Union is offering. Be one of the six lucky students who will receive a $2,000 one-year scholarship that is renewable to up to four years. The deadline is March 16, 2013. Do not wait until the last minute to take advantage of this opportunity. To fill out an application, visit the Silver State Schools Credit Union website: http://www.silverstatecu.com/news/news-details.aspx?newsid=36

Got Homework?

We advocate the importance of homework in the process of improving academic achievement. Arguments, in favor of homework, fall into one of three categories: practice, preparation, or extension. Practice helps students retain the knowledge being taught during the class. As in real life, people need practice in order to get better at the things they do for a living, Just think about football players, musicians, actors, surgeons etc.  The learning skills and study habits gained through homework prepare students for higher education and the challenges of knowledge-based society - with knowledge comes innovation and innovation is the key to survive in today’s world.  Homework is an extension of the classroom experience that introduces children to the "adult" world of priorities, time management, and deadlines. Homework can also be an extension of learning at home, which allows parents to be involved.

That is precisely one argument against homework. The disparity between students from a middle-class background (study space, computer, internet access and parents who have the time and skills to help) and those students from disadvantaged backgrounds who simply don’t have the support and resources they need to complete their homework. Anti-homework advocates, such as French President Francois Hollande, insist rich kids benefit more from homework than poor kids do – that might be true, even more when the gap becomes bigger as disadvantaged students start falling behind. But getting rid of homework is not going to solve the problem.

A solution would be to lengthen the school day, but in times of budget cuts and overcrowded classrooms, after-school programs are providing the time for children to complete their homework once the school day is over. We, at the Andson Organization, are committed to helping students reach their full potential regardless of economic background, and we are doing it through our Homework Help & Tutoring program. Homework comes before playtime, so we are teaching kids that responsibilities come first. Love of learning and perseverance are values we hope to instill in hundreds of students across the Valley.  Want to know how we are doing this? Come join us for our Faces of the Future Breakfast on Tuesday, February 26 at 8 am at the Boys & Girls Club in Southern Highlands.

Here are some tips for teachers and parents...

"Teachers Homework Policy"  December 28, 2012

"Five Hot Homework Tips for Parents" January 31, 2013

A very different group takes over the Strip - NV DECA.

On Monday, February 11, I went to judge the Nevada DECA Competition at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino.  Not knowing much about DECA, I had no idea that this day would mean as much to me as it did to the students. DECA is an organization that is co-curricular - meaning they are in the classrooms (like us).

DECA has core areas such as

• Civic Responsibility
• Leadership
• Entrepreneurship
• Understanding of Free Enterprise.

Did I mention these were High School students?  Some were only Sophomores!  The day was amazing.  These students had 10 minutes to prep their case, and come present it to one of the hundreds of judges that volunteered that day to facilitate the competition.

Students I judged competed in areas such as:

• Financial Repercussion of showrooms vs. trade shows, regarding startup remodeling company
• Financial Benefits of a stock buyback program for a security company
• Marketing and Research for the rebranding of a boutique hotel chain

These were mock situations, of course, but the energy and enthusiasm was overwhelming.  Many thanks to Nevada DECA for doing the amazing work of preparing young people for the adult/business world.  It inspires me to keep Andson innovative, and not to forget our mission:  empowering through education.  Remember, if education is about fun and opportunities, STUDENTS PARTICIPATE!

Image from Nevada Deca website

Nevada DECA

Having Fun While Learning About Money!

What can we do to make it fun for children to learn about money management? How about add music? That is exactly what the Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA) and the Charles Schwab Foundation are doing, and children are jumping at the opportunity to learn and be apart of the experience. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America and the Charles Schwab Foundation are making an impact on teens that are learning about finances in a fun way. The two organizations have worked together to start the Money Matters Music Mogel (M4) contest that incorporates the Money Matters: Make It Count programs with music, allowing teens to have fun while learning. The Money Matters program teaches teens about money managing skills at more than 2,900 Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. The contest has teens take what they have learned in the program and allows them to incorporate the knowledge into original lyrics that are accompanied by beats created by Grammy-nominated Kevin “Khao” Cates.

Once the songs are created, they are put to a vote and the winner receives $1,000 in scholarship funds and $1,000 to his or her BGCA club. Also, the winner will have the opportunity to create a music video to go with the song. Four finalists receive $500 each.

The previous winner was from our very own town of Las Vegas! Syretha Shirley of the Boys & Girls Club of Las Vegas won with her song, “Time is Money”. Congratulations Syretha! I wonder who the next winner will be?

Resources:

(http://www.bet.com/news/national/2012/12/13/charles-schwab-and-boys-girls-club-to-reach-youth-through-money-managing-contest.html)

youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f8LgUv8VGag

Seeking Volunteers Who Are Willing To Be The Change!

Arun Ghandi commented about his grandfather's most famous saying "you must be the change you want to see in the world" - he said this when he was speaking after prayer service and he mentioned this because people kept saying to him that the world has to change for us to change. He said, "No, the world will not change if we don't change." So we have to make the beginning ourselves. It has always been human nature to blame someone else for everything that is happening. It's never us. We are never at fault. And he tried to make us realize that we are just as much at fault as anybody else. Unless we change ourselves, and help people around us change nobody will change because everybody will just be sitting around waiting for change to happen.

We at the Andson Organization are working hard to change the odds for children and young adults. We want to be the change and we would love to have you join us! Our Homework Help & Tutoring Program is providing mentoring and academic assistance to hundreds of students across the Valley.  Many of these children are waiting for just one caring adult or mentor to step in to help them beat the odds. Along with us, YOU have the chance to be that adult for a child in our community – we are looking for caring individuals who are willing to donate their time and talents as a volunteer! If you are ready to BE the change, please visit United Way of Southern Nevada's Volunteer Center and let us know you want to join us.

Together, we can change the odds so all children are prepared to succeed in school and in life.

Missing School Can Have A Huge Impact On Students

Your child has been sick for a few days and now he or she is feeling better, but you think that missing one more day will be no big deal. Think again! Missing school can make an impact on a child's education in the future. Of course, a child can always make up work but will that child really be getting the proper education that he or she will need for the future courses and material learned.

Of course parents are aware that missing school is not a good thing for students, but often times parents do not even notice how many days their child is really missing. And it is not their fault for not knowing.

According to new studies found in a recent article done by USA Today, 90% of students come to school. Though that percentage looks desirable,  where are the other 10% of students? Approximately 7.5 million students miss a month of school each year. These “chronically absent” students become at “high-risk” of dropping because of the challenges they face academically as a result of missing school for long periods of time.

Many parents often do not recognize the issue because they are not presented with an overall report of absences. Each parent receives a report card four times a year. The quarterly report shows the individual, quarterly absences, but there is no summary at the end of the year with all the absences on one report. Perhaps making parents aware of the effect of absences on academic performance might result in an increase in the success rate of graduating students.

Children are bound to get sick, and will have to miss school for sick or personal issues, but there must be a way to keep track of how many days a student will be missing. It is important for students to learn the lesson of the day in the classroom environment where he or she will be able to ask questions and get the help he or she needs when struggling with learning. We want our children to overcome challenges in the future.

Source:

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/education/story/2012-05-17/study-chronic-school-absenteeism/55030638/1#.UQa2s5lubEQ.email

More Funds For Clark County Schools!

Ask yourself, what can children benefit the most from in school? Now, do those benefits need funding? Well, Clark County students will be receiving more funding to help them increase the benefits of their time spent in school. According to the Las Vegas Sun, the Clark County School District received extra federal funding in 2012 after it received $72 million in the previous year. This funding was received through the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of Title 1, which provides more federal funds to private and public schools that have a high number of low-income students. The additional funding is focused on closing the gap between the financial stature of students. Each student will receive $314 on top of the $7842, which is already received.

The Elementary and Secondary Education Act of Title 1 can really benefit the children of Clark County. Many children from low-income areas feel that there are more challenges they have to overcome in comparison to those that children from middle or high income areas do. Many cannot even see the light at the end of the tunnel because of the struggles in school. The hope is to change the mindset of these children and allow them to see a brighter future. We, at Andson, want to support these children and hope that the gap between the financial stature of students can truly be closed and every child gets the opportunities that he or she deserves.

To read article, click on the link:

http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/aug/03/number-schools-high-percentage-low-income-students/

When did you have your Financial A-Ha! moment?

Some people are born financially savvy, some learn from their parents.  Even more, however, may never learn - and hence struggle for years, living paycheck-to-paycheck and paying high interest rates.  

When reading Kentin Waits' article recently regarding his financial awareness, I realized that there are such pivotal moments in the lives of young people, that we have got to keep doing what we do, because if Andson can provide this for even one student, then it's all worth it.

Waits, at 13, was allowed to manage the $120 per month Social Security benefit allotted him.

This article isn't pivotal, it's not as if he's a millionaire now.  What it gave him, though, was even more beneficial - it gave him the groundwork to think about money; really think about it.  You can "be born" with a sense of frugality, but in reality it comes from societal influences and culture - whether in the home or a little further out.  Personal Finance is absolutely a learned behavior. Waits was given the opportunity to learn.

I had that same moment at one point in my life, the first time I couldn't pay my credit card off the same month it was due.  It took a little longer than Waits, I was 18, but it sunk in nonetheless.

Those are the moments we want to provide to students and youth through Andson's activities.  It's why we are working on The Piggybank Project, why we are expanding our reach in 2013 to High Schools, it's why we exist.

So, we ask you, have you had that "A-Ha" moment yet?

Source:

Picture via Flickr (Creative Commons license) by_evilpeacock

Kentin Waits' article on wisebread.com

FACES OF THE FUTURE 2013

Join us for this meaningful one-hour event!

The Andson Organization and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson will be hosting the second annual Faces of the Future Breakfast on Tuesday, February 26th for anyone who would like to learn about the foundation’s educational programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs, provide financial support, or volunteer. The FREE breakfast will be held at the Southern Highlands Boys & Girls Club, located at 10900 Southern Highlands Parkway. Registration is at 7:30 a.m. with breakfast beginning at 8 a.m. For reservations or to become a table captain, call (702) 785-0020 or email andrea@andson.org.

"For the past three years, the Andson Organization has been helping kids learn the skills they need to succeed in today's world, and Faces of the Future 2013 will celebrate the impact of Andson's Homework Help & Tutoring Program conducted in partnership with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson," said Ken Rubeli, CEO of the Boys & Girls Club of Henderson. "Success comes with a good support system, and the Andson Organization is playing a vital role in our efforts to serve the community. With the foundation’s help, we hope to instill a love of learning in our children and the merit of working hard."

Offered at no cost to club members, students receive help with homework troubles and one-on-one or small group tutoring in reading, math, social studies, and science at seven different Boys & Girls Clubs of Henderson, locations (listed below) for two hours Monday through Thursday. In just a few years, the after-school program has grown from 150 to 700 students in daily attendance and employs a staff of more than 35 certified teachers from the Clark County School District, along with several aides from Nevada State College's Federal Work Study Program.

This is a FREE fundraising event.  There is no obligation to give, and there is no minimum or maximum gift. But the wonderful stories of students, families, educators and community members will surely inspire you to give. This is also a great opportunity to tour the club and meet fellow guests and staff.

FAMILIES RECEIVED HOLIDAY CHEER!

Thanks to the generosity of our friends and supporters, 40 local families and over 160 family members received an outpouring of thoughtful presents and gift cards. More than 30 groups and individual donors participated in our 2012 Adopt-A-Family Program - making it bigger and better for its second year!!

We would like to extend our sincere gratitude to those organizations and employee groups who went the extra mile to ensure that less-fortunate families in our community had a happy holiday season: Allegiant Air, Becker Realty,  Belfor Property Restoration, BNY Mellon Wealth Management, Galleria at Sunset, Molly Malone's Irish Pub, Morrissey Insurance, PM Digital Group, and Southwest Gas.  Special thanks go to  Albertsons, Cici's Pizza, Papa John's, and Subway for contributing to the holiday get-togethers we hosted for the adopted families.

We would also like to thank the Boys and Girls Clubs, Nevada Childhood Cancer Foundation and Candlelighters for their partnership, support, and coordination. Our goal is to continue working in collaboration with like-minded organizations that focus on the well-being of children and their families.

Thank you all for supporting our efforts and best wishes for the New Year!