So your second grader was surfing the Internet and saw the price of Google's stock going through the roof. And now he wants to buy a few shares of his own - on margin. What are you supposed to tell him?
How about sending the kids to camp. Canoeing, archery, and s'mores to take their minds off the Nasdaq? Au contraire! This is Money Camp, where youngsters learn the fundamentals of financial literacy and fiscal responsibility.
Besides learning why they shouldn't sink their piggy-bank savings into high-tech stocks, kids will learn the basics of how to earn, save, and invest their money. From balancing a checkbook to understanding real estate and the stock market, Money Camp prepares kids for the real world.
"These are critical life skills that kids aren't getting in schools," said Elisabeth Donati, executive director of the Santa Barbara-based nonprofit group.
With seven camps between Southern California and the Central Coast, now in its third year in San Luis Obispo, Money Camp gives 11- to 15-year-olds a five-day crash course in basic monetary skills. While the kids won't be out fishing and horseback riding, Donati insists that they have a great time at this specialty summer day camp. They don't spend their whole week behind a desk - there are some outdoor activities, albeit more educational than athletic - and a few students have even returned for a second year.
Save early, save often, and pay yourself first - those are the tenets of Money Camp. It's easy to a save $1 or 2 million over your lifetime if you just start young, Donati explained. So don't put all your eggs into Social Security, send the kids to Money Camp, and start building that nest today.
"It's so easy if you just start early."
Money Camp takes place Aug. 1-5 at the new Pacheco School in San Luis Obispo. To sign up or learn more, call 957-1024, or visit www.themoneycamp.com.
FAST FACTS
If the film "Sideways" didn't put you in the mood for wine tasting, Glen Starkey's cultivated coverage of fermented favorites (page 10) surely will. And now that we've whetted your taste buds, you won't want to miss the 23rd Annual Paso Robles Wine Festival, May 20-22. The intoxicating event includes a tasting festival at Hunter Ranch Golf Course on Friday, more tasting and music at Paso Robles City Park on Saturday, and special events hosted by local wineries throughout the weekend. For tickets and additional info, visit www.pasowine.com, or call 800-549-WINE (8463). ...
... San Luis Obispo's first fine furnishings consignment store, Della Jayne, opened this week at 140 South St. The 6,000-plus-square-foot showroom, at the former Spencer's location, displays a variety of furniture styles and prices, coming primarily from model homes, manufacturer's samples, local furniture makers, and finer local homes. To learn more, visit www.dellajayne.com, or call the shop at 546-8016. ...
... The San Luis Obispo Art Center is pleased to announce that it has surpassed its fund-raising goal of $300,000, thanks to a generous $82,000 gift from the Florence B. Welles estate to the Arne Nybak Curatorial Endowment. These crucial funds will ensure the Art Center's future curatorial and exhibition needs. The SLO Art Center, located at 1010 Broad St., on the west end of the Mission Plaza, is visited by over 40,000 people every year, exhibiting work by contemporary artists, teaching youth and adult art classes, and arranging special tours and cultural events. For more info, visit the Art Center or give them a call at 543-8562.
... Dr. Rex A. Yannis is proud to have the first real, non-surgical solution to cellulite on the Central Coast. VelaSmooth is a medical device that reduces the appearance of cellulite and safely and effectively re-contours the skin's surface and body shape. Its launch marks a new era in the fight against fat. To find out more, drop by Dr. Yanni's Arroyo Grande office at 310 S. Halcyon Road, Suite 103, or call 473-3530. ³
Staff Writer Jeff Hornaday compiles New Times' Strokes & Plugs. E-mail him at
[email protected].
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1010 Marsh Street • San Luis Obispo, CA 93401
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