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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Betsy Peisach
April 23, 2002
Telephone: (410) 581-4042
E-mail: betsypeisach@mpt.org
MPT. This is bigger than television.
How do teens learn to make money work for them?
CitiFinancial joins Maryland Public Television in providing interactive
education on the Internet
OWINGS MILLS, MD: Maryland Public Television (MPT) and CitiFinancial
today announced a Citigroup Foundation grant of support for Sense &
Dollars, MPT's award-winning financial literacy Web site for teens
(www.mpt.org/senseanddollars.)
This acclaimed educational site teaches students effective ways to earn,
spend, save and invest.
"Finances are a key indicator of success in life, but whose responsibility
is it to provide youth with practical skills about personal finance?"
asks Michael S. Knapp, President and CEO of CitiFinancial, a Baltimore-based
financial services firm. His answer, "I think it's everyone's. That's
why CitiFinancial and Citigroup are stepping up to the plate. Reaching
our children with this information can help them build important money
skills before they enter the 'outside world.' How do we reach them best?
Our guess is the Internet - especially with this fun, interactive site.
For both the schools and the teens, we think it's the most effective tool.
We are proud and excited to enter this partnership with MPT and Sense
& Dollars."
Sense & Dollars, developed in collaboration with educators
and economic organizations, incorporates a hip design with interactive
activities and tools to engage middle and high school age teens. Students
can use a credit card calculator to figure out how much a leather jacket
will really cost, plan a budget for their dream prom, and balance the
family checkbook for a month. The site explores the concepts surrounding
economics and personal finance, including real-life applications such
as interest rates and earning power. A comprehensive online teachers guide
provides useful strategies, curricular suggestions, tips for using technology
in the classroom and the national education goals the activities were
designed to meet. Additionally, the online guide for families offers ways
to extend learning into the home and community.
"We're delighted that CitiFinancial has signed on as a major sponsor
of Sense & Dollars. The site is a dynamic tool to assist teachers
and students nationwide with financial literacy skills and concepts and
we believe it can have an impact on our future spenders and savers,"
says MPT Senior Vice President and Chief Education Officer Gail Porter
Long.
The site recently won the PBS 2002 Eddie Award for best Web-original classroom
content.
Maryland Public Television is a not-for-profit, state-licensed public
television station which serves the citizens and communities of Maryland
and beyond through a variety of broadcast and nonbroadcast activities.
MPT is a national leader in the production of broadcast programming for
public television. MPT's local and regional television credits include
public affairs, original performance, documentary, and entertainment programs
for the citizens of Maryland. Beyond broadcast, MPT creates instructional
videos, develops training, and builds Internet sites that serve tens of
thousands of students, teachers, and child-care providers annually. MPT
outreach activities, especially relating to arts, culture, and history,
take place in all areas of the state to further fulfill MPT's mission
to engage, enlighten, and entertain. For more information, visit www.mpt.org.
CitiFinancial, a financial services company specializing in consumer loans,
has been in business since 1912 and currently has over 2,000 offices across
the United States and Canada. CitiFinancial is a member of Citigroup (NYSE:
C), the preeminent global financial services company with some 190 million
customer accounts in more than 100 countries, provides consumers, corporations,
governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products
and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment
banking, insurance, securities brokerage, and asset management. Major
brand names under Citigroup's trademark red umbrella include Citibank,
CitiFinancial, Primerica, Smith Barney, Banamex, and Travelers. The Citigroup
Foundation focuses its grants primarily on community development and education,
along with arts and culture, health and human services, and the environment.
Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com.
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