The Credit Wise Cats is a program comprised of 12 to 15 University of Arizona students who provide personal financial education to college students and students in grades K-12 in the greater Tucson community. The CWC educators are extensively trained by the Take Charge America Institute (TCAI) faculty and staff to provide community outreach through presentation of money management workshops that focus on the core topics of spending plans, saving, credit cards and credit reports.

After learning from the CWC, the high schools form teams to participate in a competition, testing their financial knowledge. This year, the competition is taking on a new look and an enhanced presence. It includes an added component of using their financial stability understanding towards making a decision about purchasing a home. The Tucson Association of REALTORS ® (TAR) has partnered with the TCAI, providing an additional presentation on successful homeownership to be taught by trained members of the TAR speakers’ bureau. The added element of a home purchase will reinforce the concepts of financial stability and emphasize that successful homeownership is based on the foundation of good habits. Students will be judged by a panel of local experts from many fields on how well they managed their finances. The winner will be the team that has attained the most financially stable situation.

The competition is only a part of the “Family Finance Day”. As the name suggests, there will be activities for participants of all ages. Face painting, jumping castles and story time will entertain the youngest attendees. The middle school aged “Next Generation Competitors” will have activities to challenge and enlighten them; adults will be able to attend workshops on taxes, mortgages, savings, and budgeting. Organizations throughout the community will have tables and booths to provide information on all things relating to financial stability.

It is great to see a community come together to create the foundation of what will become our financial future. View the event flyer.

Save the Date March 27th to spend a Saturday afternoon with your family at the University of Arizona Family Finance Day.