Financial literacy is a serious subject. Corporations and colleges are beginning to recognize how crucial it is for students and young adults to learn basic financial and economic principles––for themselves and society. In 2012, volunteers from Vanguard launched My Classroom Economy, a free financial education program for students in grades K-12. In five years, Vanguard has reached 600,000 students in all 50 states and Canada. In this session, Vanguard’s Community Stewardship leaders and a cross-functional team of My Classroom Economy volunteers will share how a passionate, creative, and diverse team can develop a corporate citizenship program that creates social value by tapping employees’ professional skills. Attendees will learn: Where My Classroom Economy fits into Vanguard’s community impact and giving back strategy. How Vanguard implemented My Classroom Economy by leveraging employee volunteers from a wide range of functions within the company—from IT to HR to marketing and more. How to make the most of existing resources within your company to develop or improve corporate citizenship programs. Speakers: Carra Cote-Ackah, Executive Director, Community Stewardship, Vanguard Kyra Scalea, Manager, Community Stewardship, Vanguard Nate Prosser, HR Senior Manager, Vanguard Liz Krueger, HR Manager, Vanguard Colton Fisher, Head of Institutional Investment Marketing, Vanguard

1. Vanguard CASE STUDY: Take an Inch to
Get a Mile
Carra Cote-Ackah, Executive Director, Community Stewardship, Vanguard
Kyra Scalea, Manager, Community Stewardship, Vanguard
Nate Prosser, HR Senior Manager, Vanguard
Liz Krueger, HR Manager, Vanguard
Colton Fisher, Head of Institutional Investment Marketing, Vanguard

2. Take an inch to get a mile

3. Carra Cote-Ackah
Executive Director of Community Stewardship

4. Vanguard®
gives back

5. • Video
• Teach back
• Journey
• Q&A Panel
• Auction
AGENDA

8. A small group of advocates
debated and discussed both what
to do and how to do it.
EARLY 2011
Presented a proposal for My
Classroom Economy to the
Senior Leadership Team.
FEB 2011
We had our first meeting in
early March at 7 A.M. on
Vanguard campus where we
decided to launch in phases
starting with K–5.
MARCH 2011

10. My Classroom Economy launched
into the world, just five months
after we started work.
July 2011
C
el
st
70
6
A small group of advocates
debated and discussed both what
to do and how to do it.
EARLY 2011
Presented a proposal for My
Classroom Economy to the
Senior Leadership Team.
FEB 2011
We had our first meeting in
early March at 7 A.M. on
Vanguard campus where we
decided to launch in phases
starting with K–5.
MARCH 2011
Mission alignment.
2013
Website up and running, including
the investment simulator
JULY 2012

11. Vanguard Core Purpose
To take a stand for all investors,
to treat them fairly, and to give them
the best chance for investment success.

12. Created 2 pilots. 1– group of 8
elementary schools, spanning 6
states, 24 teachers, and roughly
700 students. 2– expanded to add
6—8, then a month later 9—12.
SEPT 2011
Mission alignment.
2013
Website up and running, including
the investment simulator
JULY 2012
Experience growth both
internally and externally.
2014

13. EARLY 2014 GROWTH
PROGRAM ADOPTION
Policy makers & administrators
Teachers & ambassadors
TOP DOWN
BOTTOM UP
FORMALIZED INTERNAL EFFORTS
Annual planning
Posted jobs
Cost
Created
org chart
‘Hired’
CoS
Internal
ambassadors
Structured
meetings

14. UW applied for and received a
grant from the U.S. Treasury.
Then the School District of Palm
Beach–a leader in addressing
financial literacy–raised their hand
to be the pilot district.
2015
U
University of Wisconsin study
proves effectiveness of MCE.
SEPT 2016
We modernized our digital brand
by launching a redesigned
responsive website.
EARLY 2016
Website up and running, including
the investment simulator.
JULY 2012
Created 2 pilots. 1– group of 8
elementary schools, spanning 6
states, 24 teachers, and roughly
700 students. 2– expanded to add
6—8, then a month later 9—12.
SEPT 2011
Mission alignment.
2013
Experience growth both
internally and externally.
2014

15. 4.9%
9.2%
4.7%
10.5% 8.2% 6.4%
66.4%
Student
financial
knowledge
Student
budgeting
behavior
Student
socialization
of finanical
topics
Student
economic
experiences
outside the
classroom
Student has
own bank
account
Student
manages
own money
Student
learns about
money at
school
Student quizzes
Student outcomes
measured by…
Parent/guardian surveysStudent surveys
Improved outcomes for MCE treatment groups
SUMMARY OF PROGRAM EFFECTS

16. 1. Skill alignment
2. Mission alignment
3. Annual planning
4. Demonstrate outcomes
KEY TAKEAWAYS

17. The power of possibility is tremendous when you
have a concrete idea, grit, and passionate people
- at any level of the organization.
“MY CLASSROOM ECONOMY

18. Kyra Scalea
Manager of
Community Stewardship
Nate Prosser
HR Senior Manager
Liz Krueger
HR Manager
Colton Fisher
Head of Institutional
Investment Marketing