Jackson Charitable Foundation and Discovery Education Launch Second Annual “Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids” Contest to Encourage Fiscally Fit Habits Among Youth

Jackson Charitable Foundation and Discovery Education Launch Second Annual “Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids” Contest to Encourage Fiscally Fit Habits Among Youth

Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids Launches Second Annual Pledge Contest Awarding $10,000 to a Winning School, Plus $1,000 for a Charity of their Choice –

Standards-Aligned Resources for Educators and Families to Help K-6 Grade Students Become Financially Empowered Adults –

Silver Spring, Md. (Friday, September 7, 2018) – Jackson Charitable Foundation, a nonprofit with the mission to advance financial knowledge on a national scale and Discovery Education, the leading provider of digital content and professional development for K-12 classrooms today announced the second annual Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids Contest! The contest invites elementary school teachers and families to take a pledge to teach kids how to “earn, save, spend and donate” for a chance to win $10,000 for their local school – plus an additional $1,000 for the charity of their choice. The winning school will receive a fun financial literacy event at their school featuring children’s educational media expert Dr. Alice Wilder, producer of Blues Clues and co-creator of Super WHY!, and the characters of Cha-Ching. Entrants may take the pledge up to once a day on behalf of their school from now through December 13, 2018.

“Anything we can do to help educators and families teach basic financial skills to young people is a win in my book,” said Danielle Robinson, executive director, Jackson Charitable Foundation. “Discovery Education brings Cha-Ching to classrooms across the country giving students access to these life-changing lessons. With this year’s pledge challenge, we’re hoping to reach even more students, making a positive impact in their futures.”

Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids is an engaging and fun financial education program designed to train the next generation of financially empowered adults. The program empowers youth with critical 21-century skills by beginning high-quality financial literacy education in elementary school, where it can be fundamentally embedded in core learning experiences at a young age. Available at no-cost to classrooms nationwide, the program includes educator resources, family activities, animated videos and more.

“Cha-Ching, Jackson and Discovery Education are helping students develop money smart habits that will positively impact their families and future, said Dr. Trish Wallinger, St. Mary’s School Principal, winning school leader of last year’s Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids contest in Bellevue, Nebraska. “Encouraging students to retain strong money management concepts, and preparing them with the knowledge, tools and practice they need to lead fiscally disciplined lives will strengthen their ability to flourish as they mature.”

Engaging Music Videos — Helping children learn money management concepts with lively cartoon characters from the Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids! band. Storylines spotlight the importance of earning, saving, spending and donating, and help reinforce healthy money habits.

Classroom Activities — Providing K-6 educators with standards-aligned activities that pair with music videos to teach students how to be money smart.

Educator Guides — Enhancing educators’ background knowledge of financial literacy to better equip them to facilitate the classroom activities.

Family Activities — Offering parents, families and communities helpful tools to teach their children how to be money smart.

Sweepstakes — Promoting positive money habits and awarding deserving schools a $10,000 prize to build a brighter financial future, along with $1,000 to donate to a charity of their choice.

“Cha-Ching Money Smart Kids empowers educators to teach kids compelling ways to secure a financially liberating future,” said Lori McFarling, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Discovery Education. “Discovery Education is excited to continue a collaboration with Jackson Charitable Foundation to train a new generation of learners and future leaders the building blocks of financial literacy.”

Launched in April 2017, these resources are available at www.cha-chingusa.org and through Discovery Education Streaming. For more information about Discovery Education’s digital content and professional development services, visit discoveryeducation.com. Stay connected with Discovery Education on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest @DiscoveryEd.

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About Jackson:

Jackson National Life Insurance Company® (Jackson) is a leading provider of retirement products for industry professionals and their clients. The company offers a diverse range of products including variable, fixed and fixed index annuities designed for tax-efficient accumulation and distribution of retirement income for retail customers, and fixed income products for institutional investors. Jackson subsidiaries and affiliates provide specialized asset management and retail brokerage services. Jackson prides itself on product innovation, sound corporate risk management practices and strategic technology initiatives. Focused on thought leadership and education, the company develops proprietary research, industry insights and financial representative training on retirement planning and alternative investment strategies. Jackson is also dedicated to corporate social responsibility and supports charities focused on strengthening families and creating economic opportunities in the communities where its employees live and work. For more information, visit jackson.com.

About Jackson Charitable Foundation:

The Jackson Charitable Foundation, the charitable-giving arm of Jackson, is a 501(c)(3) private operating foundation. Its mission to provide educational programming to increase the financial knowledge of Americans, reaches more than 1.5 million people annually. Follow the Jackson Charitable Foundation at jacksoncharitablefoundation.org and on Twitter at @JacksonFdn.

About Discovery Education:

As the global leader in standards-based digital content for K-12 classrooms worldwide, Discovery Education is transforming teaching and learning with award-winning digital textbooks, multimedia content, professional learning, and the largest professional learning community of its kind. Serving 4.5 million educators and over 50 million students, Discovery Education’s services are available in approximately half of U.S. classrooms, 50 percent of all primary schools in the UK, and more than 50 countries around the globe. Inspired by the global media company Discovery, Inc., Discovery Education partners with districts, states, and like-minded organizations to captivate students, empower teachers, and transform classrooms with customized solutions that increase academic achievement. Explore the future of education at DiscoveryEducation.com.