Fifteen Rotary volunteers, many with excellent knowledge of financial issues, are serving as Money Smart Instructors. Training again was the cornerstone of the Money Smart Program. Using the Money Smart curriculum prepared by the FDIC, Tom Stokes presented a four-hour workshop on the modules in the curriculum and on how to most effectively teach the curriculum. The Rotary Money Smart Instructors heard from a panel of participants about what they thought was most important for them to learn, and one of those participants volunteered to give a personal testimony at the training sessions. A third session focused on determining which modules in the Money Smart curriculum would be most effective for the population receiving the first sessions. .

Teams of Rotarians have been assigned to four literacy centers in the School District of Greenville County. As a result, forty adults will receive training in Money Smart this fall. Teams will provide a consistent source of assistance to those participating in the series of four sessions. Additionally, participants who complete four sessions on Money Smart will receive a certificate and will have the opportunity to talk with a bank about establishing a banking account. To promote retention in the program, a $50 savings bond will be awarded to one class member at each of the four sessions. Funding for the savings bonds came from other Rotary members.