Smart Money targets kids

By Denise Dick

Each young participant in a program aimed at financial literacy training received a pink or a blue piggy bank.

BOARDMAN — Caden and Christopher Fleet, ages 4 and 2, learn about money by getting rewarded for chores and good behavior.

The township boys were among about 25 children, ages 3 to 5, who participated Tuesday in the Smart Money program at the Boardman branch of the Public Library of Youngstown and Mahoning County.

“They get high fives for good behavior,” said Carmelena Fleet, the boys’ mother. “If they get five high fives in a day, they get a quarter at the end of the day.”

“I put the quarter in my piggy bank,” Christopher explained.

The library’s Smart Money program, launched last August, aims to offer financial literacy training to children, teens, adults and seniors. The program comes in the midst of economic turmoil as stocks tumble downward, unemployment numbers soar and housing sales hover at historic lows.

The library has partnered with several community groups and agencies to offer the training. Topics addressed for adult participants include buying a home and paying for college.

More information about Smart Money and its programs is available through the library’s Web site, www.libraryvisit.org.

At Tuesday’s event, John Yingling, children’s librarian, led the boys and girls in songs and crafts about money and read books on the subject.

He reviewed how many pennies make up a nickel, how many nickels make up a dime, and so forth.

Yingling even rapped “The Money Rap”: “Well, I know a song. It’s really kind of funny. It’s all about coins and learning about money.”

“We’re trying to teach them about the wise use of money,” Yingling said.

Three-year-old Natalie Tobey likes to pay the cashier at the store and to deposit money in the bank, said her mother, Tricia, a former banker.

“What do you get when you take your money to the bank?” Tricia Tobey prompts her daughter.

“A lollipop,” Natalie answers.

She saves her money in her piggy bank and occasionally takes it out to buy “teddy bears and food.”

Each young participant received a new piggy bank — either pink or blue.

“I have a piggy bank, but I need a new one,” said Marissa Conroy, 3, of Austintown. “I have money in my piggy bank.”

Marissa attended the program with her mother, Tammie.

“She likes to take her money out, and we count it,” Tammie Conroy said.

Jacob Wolf, 4, busied himself coloring paper coins that his mom, Robyn, would later cut out.

“I have money,” Jacob said. “I found it. I found a penny in my sister’s room.”

denise_dick@vindy.com