Bismarck, ND - The North Dakota Securities Department is sponsoring Mad About Money theatrical productions in 10 eastern North Dakota schools during the week of September 28-October 2, 2009. 2,500 students in grades 5-9 will have the opportunity to experience this entertaining and educational production.
The productions are performed by professional actors with The National Theatre for Children from Minneapolis, MN. The financial concepts emphasized during the performances will include risk, take home pay, affects of advertising on students, and how financial choices affect your future. In addition to the performances, teachers receive curriculum materials that focus on these concepts for continued classroom discussion and activities.
We are extremely pleased to have the National Theatre involved in our financial education efforts in North Dakota. Their tested methods teach money management habits through a fun, interactive experience that students enjoy, said Diane Kambeitz, Investor Education Coordinator with the Securities Department. During the past 4 years, the Department has sponsored performances in 40 North Dakota schools, reaching nearly 9,000 students in grades 5-9.
During the 2008 Mad About Money performances in western North Dakota schools, the students took part in a study sponsored by the National Theatre to measure the impact of financial education in the form of the live play, along with classroom instruction on savings knowledge, attitudes and behavior. The results showed that the live performance increased financial knowledge by more than 13 percent. The success of this unique teaching tool is achieved by holding the student's attention through this entertaining and yet educational approach.
This is the fifth year that the North Dakota Securities Department has sponsored this week-long program in North Dakota schools. Teachers have given Mad About Money the highest marks in the ability of live theatre to increase the student's capacity for retaining the message. By introducing our students to financial education at an early age, we will see young people better equipped to take charge of their financial futures, concluded Kambeitz.
The National Theatre for Children is the largest in-school touring company in America and reaches millions of children nationwide each year on important and timely issues such as money management.
PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:
9/28 Park River Public School, Park River 10:30 a.m.9/28 Grafton Central School, Grafton 1:00 p.m.9/29 May-Port CG Middle School, Mayville 9:00 a.m.9/29 Nathan Twining School, Grand Forks AFB 2:00 p.m.9/30 Northern Cass Middle School, Hunter 9:30 a.m.9/30 Ben Franklin Middle School, Fargo 2:00 p.m.10/1 Discovery Middle School, Fargo 9:00 a.m.10/1 Oak Grove Middle School, Fargo 2:30 p.m.10/2 Valley City Middle School, Valley City 9:00 a.m.10/2 Wahpeton Middle School, Wahpeton 2:30 p.m.
Mad About Money performances will be scheduled in 10 western North Dakota schools in the fall of 2010. If any schools are interested in scheduling a performance, contact Diane Kambeitz, North Dakota Securities Department, 1-800-297-5124 or 701-328-4698 (Bismarck local).