Award Winning University Project Established Blueprint for Financial Literacy Success

November 15th, 2018 by Team Sammy

“Kindergartners aren’t too young to start saving. Even with them being 5 they really get it. They understand saving is a habit – putting it away for another day to reach a goal. I think because of Sammy Rabbit it clicks.”
-Maryland Kindergartner Teacher, Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences, Spring 2010

Success Leaves Clues

In 2009, University of Maryland Extension Educator Megan O'Neil-Haight received the National Extension Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (NEAFCS) Dean Don Felker Financial Management Award for her innovative project featuring Sammy Rabbit, titled “Parents and Teachers as Wealth Coaches.”

O'Neil-Haight shared the successful strategy in the Spring 2010 issue of the Journal of Family and Consumer Sciences. The approach serves as a valuable blueprint for anyone serious about addressing the financial literacy crisis, as highlighted in Dr. Lewis Mandell's 1998 book and research Our Vulnerable Youth: The Financial Literacy of American 12th Graders. Excerpts from the article are available online through the Education Resources Information Center (ERIC).

The three-county initiative brought Sammy Rabbit financial education programs and materials to over 5,000 families in southeastern Maryland. Pre- and post-assessments conducted in 147 classrooms showed that the strategy significantly improved students’ understanding of money, saving, and goal-setting across all grade levels. It also increased teachers’ commitment to incorporating personal finance topics into their lessons.

The initiative stands as a powerful example of what’s possible when educators, practitioners—including entrepreneurs—and communities unite around a shared mission. It demonstrates that early, intentional financial education can have a meaningful impact not only on children, but also on their families and teachers.

The Goal Going Forward

Our goal now is to collaborate with like-minded, values-driven partners to replicate, adapt, and scale this proven strategy in communities around the world—one head, heart, classroom, and community at a time.

Grow Your Impact - Sponsor and Support Sammy's Mission!

Collaborate with Sammy Rabbit to help kids, families, and communities build life transforming financial literacy skills and habits. By collaborating and leveraging our collective strengths, we can amplify your reach and accelerate financial empowerment where it matters most—in the communities you serve.

Contact us via: Email: contact@sammyrabbit.com or here on the website

Other Notable Collaborations

Testimonials

Here is a sampling of user experiences - Sammy Rabbit Dream Big Financial Education resources.

In Home: Parent Child Experiences
Michael Morton, Dad and Daughter, Harvard, MA
Nick Bradfield: Father and son, Cary, NC
Chelsea Iliff: Military Mom, MD

In School and After School: Led by Community Leaders
Malabar Elementary School. Rosa Overstreet, Los Angeles, CA
St. John Lutheran School, Amy Vetrone, Financial Educator Berlin, WI
Walnut Elementary School, Baldwin Park, CA
Huntington Elementary School. Cedric Turner. Empower Yourself, Brockton, MA
Did You See What Marine Veteran Nick Bradfield Did? Cary, NC
Patrina Dixon and United Way Women's Leadership Council, Hartford, CT
Money Smart 101, Philadelphia, PA

Author Led Experiences
YMCA and East Los Angeles College, Los Angeles, CA
Peterson Air Force Base, Colorado Springs, CO
Air Force Aid Society, Arlington, VA
University of Maryland Cooperative Extension, Salisbury, MD

Media Reviews
Fox: Good Day Columbus: Krista Cavalieri
Financial Advisor Magazine: Children Form Financial Behaviors By 7
Kiplinger: Janet Bodnar, Editor. Kids and Money Author