RALEIGH, N.C., Nov. 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Do you know the difference between the deficit and the national debt? If not, you're not alone. A recent Harris Interactive economic literary survey found that only half of all adults can distinguish between the two.
A new initiative co-sponsored by the N.C. Council on Economic Education (NCCEE) and the BB&T Charitable Foundation hopes to help turn that "economic literacy deficit" around in North Carolina. The "BB&T Economic Educator of the Year" awards, an annual program designed to bolster economic education in the state, introduced its inaugural slate of winners on Nov. 9, at a ceremony in Raleigh. Three teachers from across North Carolina were recognized for excellence in helping high school students understand and apply economic principles.
"When half of our high school students and one in four adults don't know what the stock market is, it's time for us to reevaluate how we teach economics to our children," said Barbara Duck, senior executive vice president at BB&T who attended the presentation. "Knowing that strong communities can only be built through a well-trained and economically literate work force, the BB&T Charitable Foundation is honored to help recognize excellence in teaching our youth the fundamentals of how our economy works."
"We're pleased that BB&T supports our vision of a North Carolina where all citizens have the knowledge, understanding and skills to make informed economic choices," said Bob Shoffner, president, NCCEE. "A commitment to economic education will ensure that today's students are prepared to become wise consumers, investors and citizens tomorrow."
Ms. Susan Stewart Taylor, a social studies teacher at Raleigh's Leesville Road High School, earned the top honor and a $5,000 cash award for her work in helping her Civics and Economics students learn and apply economic concepts to their daily lives. Taylor had her students participate in a "Standard of Living" activity in which each student was assigned a job, received a monthly income and had to create a realistic budget.
Second place and a $2,000 cash prize went to Mrs. Sharon Idol Oxford, an economics and political science instructor at Salem Academy in Winston-Salem, who was praised for building "genuine enthusiasm" for personal investment and financial management among her students. Ms. Karen M. Sanders, a business and marketing instructor at East Chapel Hill High School in Chapel Hill, was also named as an award recipient and received $1,000. Among other things, Ms. Sanders organized and maintains a Finance Academy that spurs interest about finance issues among students.
About the North Carolina Council on Economic Education
Founded in 1970, the N.C. Council on Economic Education is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit corporation that serves as one of the primary resources for economic and financial education content for elementary and secondary education administrators. Its mission is to insure that all students in North Carolina develop economic understanding and abilities to solve problems in their lives as consumers, savers, investors, employees, employers, citizens and participants in a global economy. NCCEE provides teachers with professional development training, materials and lesson plans covering economics and financial education content linked to the public school curriculum. The organization's leaders also serve as consultants to K-12 education leaders in curriculum changes and in the writing of end-of-grade tests.
About BB&T
Winston-Salem-based BB&T Corporation and its subsidiaries offer full- service commercial and retail banking and additional financial services such as insurance, investments, retail brokerage, corporate finance, consumer finance, treasury services, international banking, leasing and trust. BB&T operates more than 1,400 financial centers in the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, Indiana and Washington, D.C. With $107.1 billion in assets, BB&T Corp. is the nation's ninth largest financial holding company. More information about BB&T Corp. is available at http://www.bbandt.com/.
