Melinda Tackett

Melinda Tackett Harbor Creek Junior High School Harborcreek, PA Harbor Creek School District Linda Allen, Principal Richard Lansberry, Superintendent 2006 Graduate of the Governor’s Institute on Financial Education Donna Conklin, Teacher Mentor East Stroudsburg Area School District

Melinda used her experience at the 2006 Governor’s Institute to incorporate budgeting into every unit of her 8th grade family and consumer sciences class. She encourages students to find out what their families spend on utilities, groceries and housing, which often leads to deeper discussions with their parents about money. She also mixes financial education into her elective foods class by having students find affordable recipes and calculate the cost of their ingredients. She has been gratified to overhear her students in the cafeteria discuss the cost of junk food versus the benefits of saving the money toward a weekend activity. Last year, Melinda also shared her knowledge at a regional in-service day attended by more than 20 family and consumer sciences teachers.

“I believe that Mrs. Tackett is so successful with her students for two reasons. First of all, because she finds ways to appeal to their interests and she makes the information practical for their present stage of development. Secondly, they recognize that she walks the talk. She not only teaches financial strategies, but because of the examples she provides, she uses them herself.”