A University of St. Francis student club recently taught some area children about the importance of budgeting and saving.

Members of FREE, which stands for Financial Research and Education through Experience, visited the Warren Sharpe Community Center on July 26 to give a fun, yet educational financial clinic.

Warren Sharpe is a non-profit community based organization offering social service programs and assistance to low income at risk families on the south side of Joliet. The center has been committed to its mission for 20 years.

University students Samantha Cepl, of Joliet; Timothy Plett, of Johnsburg; Jason Campbell, of University Park; and club advisor, Professor Frank Wyrostek, led the children in conversations, games and a raffle to get them excited about financial matters.

“This event was so rewarding because the students really seemed to enjoy our visit,” Cepl said.
“What interested me most about FREE was their involvement in teaching financial literacy to younger students, and I am so honored to have been involved in this experience at Warren Sharpe.”
The younger children played a grocery store game where they were given play money to purchase grocery store items. The older children were engaged in various exercises dealing with understanding the value of savings and compounding interest.

The children also participated in a fun “coin counting” competition in which prizes were awarded. There also was a raffle for T-shirts and book bags.

Wyrostek said the FREE student hope to continue a relationship with the center in an effort to help the center continue to meet the needs of the children and families they serve.

The University of St. Francis in Joliet serves 3,400 students nationwide, offering 40 undergraduate programs, four degree-completion programs and 14 graduate programs, including a doctorate in nursing practice. Programs are offered in arts and science, business, education, nursing and health care and social work. For information, call (800) 735-7500 or visit www.stfrancis.edu.