Revamped TWOKAM, Money Fair, and new “My Money My Future Challenge” – Cash Prizes!

The Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) has adapted its “Talk with Our Kids About Money” (TWOKAM) program so that it can be used online by Elementary Cycle Two-Three teachers and parents as an online program targeting Elementary Cycle Three and Secondary Cycle One students. As well, CFEE has launched a new online initiative for Secondary Cycle Two called the “My Money My Future Challenge” (MMMF). First prize for the Money Fair is $2,000 and first prize for the new MMMF Challenge is $10,000!

As in previous years, TWOKAM will be held on the third Wednesday of April.

TWOKAM Day is April 14, 2021

School Program

The program, originally conceived for grade 7 students, is now targeted toward students aged 9 to fourteen. Each lesson plan is aligned with the outcomes for a specific subject and level, according to provincial curricula.

Free and Bilingual

There is no cost for the TWOKAM program, and the resources are available in English and French.

Also new in 2021 is the registration process. Teachers no longer have to register to access the general resources, but if they would like to get information and material for a specific grade level, registration is required.

Home Program

TWOKAM now provides enhanced online resources for parents who wish to have conversations about money with their children. On the TWOKAM website, parents can find engaging resources filtered by age range, activity type, and topic.  Teachers are encouraged to inform parents about the home program resources.

Virtual Money Fair

Three-minute video deadline is April 1^st

The annual Money Fair will continue as a provincial contest for the first round. Instead of in-person group presentations, the focus is now on three-minute video submissions from individual students up to 14 years of age.

The videos will be posted in a gallery on the CFEE’s provincial pages. The deadline to submit the videos to the contest is April 1st.

Money Fair Prizes – $2,000 – $1,000 – $300

Prizes! The Canada-wide prize for first place has been increased to $2,000! The second-place prize is $1,000 and the third-place prize is $300. The criteria for judging submissions are laid out in the online guide of rules and regulations.

Individual Submissions

Group projects are still allowed, but due to COVID-19 restrictions, the focus this year is on individual projects. CFEE hopes that teachers will, however, continue to have their entire class participate in TWOKAM.

My Money My Future Challenge (MMMF)

New this year, the MMMF Challenge is targeted toward Secondary Cycle Two (14- to 18-year-olds). Applicable in all subjects, the MMMF Challenge gives older students an opportunity “to apply their creativity, skills, and passion to develop a new learning resource to help us teach important financial knowledge and skills to youth. This innovative peer-to-peer learning program aims to promote and apply a sense of fun and creativity to an important life skill – financial literacy” (MMMF Challenge website).

Any technique, tool, or resource in English or French

The website gives examples of the possibilities for entries: “a video, a podcast, a play, a booklet, a PowerPoint presentation, an animated PowerPoint presentation, a whiteboard animation, a song, a piece of art, an ad, a poem, a website, a video game, an animation, an app, a social media post, a 3D printed object . . .” FLS students are encouraged to participate in French.

Teachers’ registration deadline is February 15, 2021

Once teachers register their class in the MMMF Challenge, any student, or team of up to four students, is eligible to participate. The deadline for teachers to register is February 15, 2021.

Teachers’ submission deadline is April 16, 2021

The teachers will review and select submissions from their class. The deadline to submit the selected projects is April 16, 2021.

May 14 regional judging

Regional judges will then select which projects to enter into the MMMF Challenge “National Showcase.” Their deadline for submitting to the Canada-wide showcase is May 14, 2021.

Live virtual student presentations

For the National Showcase, the students will be given three minutes to make a live virtual presentation of their project. The date for this final phase is to be confirmed for late May or early June.

MMMF Challenge Prizes – $10,000 – $5,000 – $2,500

Of course, the lessons learned from competing in the MMMF Challengeare a reward in themselves, but the prizes are not bad either: $10,000 for first place, $5,000 for second place, and $2,500 for third place.

HELP – Brian Smith’s phone is always open

Brian Smith, Vice-President-Québec for CFEE, has been working with teachers in the Montreal area for the past five years. “My phone is always open,” says Brian, “although teachers can send me email too, and I always answer within a day.”

Québec participation in the Money Fairs has traditionally been lower than in the other regions, and Brian strongly encourages wide participation in TWOKAM, the Money Fair, and the MMMF Challenge – in French or English. He is available and eager to do an interactive presentation/webinar for teachers on Zoom or any other platform.

Contact Brian Smith
Vice-President-Quebec, Vice-Président-Québec
Canadian Foundation For Economic Education
La Fondation canadienne d’éducation économique
(514) 817-3941
bsmith@cfee.org

See previous articles on TWOKAM

November 2020 Marks the 10th Anniversary of Financial Literacy Month, November 9, 2020 Go to page

TWOKAM: Talk with Our Kids about Money, April 18, 2018 Go to page

Financial Literacy Boosts “Out of FOCUS”, October 31, 2016 Go to page

Financial Literacy Month Tools For “Talk With Our Kids About Money”, December 9, 2015 Go to page

Talking with Kids about Money, June 16, 2014 Go to page