Academy of Finance Program
Monticello’s
Academy of Finance students attend gala benefit
On February 25, Monticello High
School Academy of Finance (AOF) Director Wendy Levinson and five
AOF seniors attended the National Academy Foundation (NAF) 2009
Gala Benefit at the Waldorf Astoria in Manhattan.
As part of NAF’s partnership between top business leaders and
teachers who prepare students for professional careers, the
group from Monticello was invited to attend a free concert
performance at Carnegie Hall that featured the Vienna
Philharmonic, the world-renowned pianist Lang Lang and the
conductor Zubin Mehta.
“It was a fantastic networking experience for the students, as
they got to mingle with corporate CEO's and executives,” said
Levinson. “This opportunity helped them push beyond their
comfort zones and challenged the students to network with the
big-leaguers. I am very proud how well they handled themselves.”
"It was a great experience that I will remember for the rest of
my life," said AOF senior Shaun Wundrack. "It was beneficial
because it gave me the opportunity to network on a more mature
level. I would like to do it again!"
The Academy of Finance is part of Monticello High School’s
Entrepreneurship for the 21st Century Academy. Within the
school’s academy structure, beginning in tenth grade, students
get to choose their course of study. The other academies
available are the Fine Arts Academy and the Liberal Arts and
Science Academy.
Photo: From left, Monticello High School students Sabrina
Santos, Kelly Owens, Tanner Wuerthner, Shaun Wundrack and Tyler
Wuerthner with Xerox Corporation President Ursula Burns and AOF
Director Wendy Levinson (right).
AOF students offered free tax service
Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, a group of Academy of Finance students were certified by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to prepare taxes. They offered the free service till April 2 to Joint filers whose gross income is $42,000 or less and to Single filers with a gross income of $40,000 or less. For more information about the program, please call 845-794-8840, ext. 10848. Click here to read the story, "IRS Certifies Students" by Jeanne Sager, courtesy the Sullivan County Democrat.
Many lessons to be learned at historical
presidential inauguration
On Tuesday, Jan. 20, all the schools in the Monticello district took some time to celebrate the inauguration of the new President of the United States, Barack Obama. Each school had access to the televised event and used this historic day as a learning opportunity.
At Chase Elementary School, students decorated the lobby entrance, while at Rutherford, some classes celebrated with their own inaugural ball. RJK Middle School students gathered in classrooms to watch and discuss the swearing-in ceremony and what this moment meant to them personally. At the Cooke School, students gathered in the cafeteria and in classrooms to watch the event together, while teachers explained the different aspects of the ceremony.
Duggan Elementary School fifth-graders along with 60 Monticello High School Academy of Finance students got to attend a special big-screen presentation of the inauguration as part of the kick-off of the 2009 Education Program by the Museum of Bethel Woods at the Bethel Woods Center for the Arts. In addition to watching the event, the students listened to a lecture on the historical significance of the election.
Monticello High School AOF senior, Ebony Andrews, said "Watching the whole election and the inauguration proved that the younger people wanted change and are able to get together and make the change happen. I think that it is good that people are expanding their minds and accepting difference."
Assistant professor of American History at SCCC, Amy Colon, gave a presentation about the famous inauguration of President John F. Kennedy and showed the connection between the social and political changes made possible by the struggles of the 1960's.
AOF students mingle with the SC
Partnership
On October 15 and 16, members of
the Academy of Finance helped the Sullivan County Partnership
for Economic Development (a non-profit organization that helps
businesses in Sullivan County relocate and expand their
operation, with the goal of boosting the county’s battered
economy) during their annual dinner which honors Sullivan County
business leaders and policy makers, who help the Partnership
achieve their goals. The dinner, which was held at the beautiful
Events Gallery at Bethel Woods, allowed business
owners (large
and small) a chance to network with one another, as well as
special guests including Senator John Bonacic. Speakers at the
dinner included Michael Skrebutenas, assistant secretary of
state for economic development for New York State, as well as
Tim McCausland, CEO and President of the Partnership, who was in
charge of the event. Speakers introduced new local businesses,
such as the Monticello Motor Club (who had a Ferrari and a Ford
GT on display outside the Events Gallery) and spoke of the
current economic crisis, on both a local and national level.
They stressed the importance of involvement by local businesses
in improving the economic situation, and they looked at a
promising future for the County, led by the re-opening of the
Villa Roma, another successful season at Bethel Woods, and the
construction of “Entertainment City” on the grounds of the old
Concord hotel.
Student volunteers from the
Academy of Finance began helping out on the evening of October
15th, the night before the dinner. They helped set up the lobby
and the events room for the dinner. Students came again the next
afternoon, helping with the final preparations. During the
dinner that night, students were in charge of registration and
handing out nametags to guests, in addition to operating the
coat check. Later that evening, the students were able to sit
down and listen to speeches and awards presentations (one of the
business leaders being honored was Zane Morganstein, a member of
the Academy of Finance’s board of trustees).
Once the speeches ended, the student volunteers were given an opportunity to meet local business leaders and even some politicians. At the closing of the ceremony, McCausland thanked the Academy of Finance for their help, and students were in turn grateful for a chance to learn about the economic situation in their community, and meet the business leaders who are trying to improve it.
Story by Monticello High School Academy of Finance students Oded Naiman and Ebony Andrews.
Students excel at Financial Literacy
Challenge
During October, the AOF students took the Financial Literacy Challenge given by the US Dept. of the Treasury.
The challenge was taken by more than 75,000 high school students with the following Monticello students scoring in the top 25th percentile: Marisela Acevedo, Ebony Andrews, Ashia Clark, Danny Gilbert, Meghan Hughes, Tyler Hutchens, Bryan Kimmons, Hannah McCallion, Kelly Owens, Vrundan K. Patel, Scott Sanford, Sabrina Santos, Danielle Schnitzer, Amanda Tejada, Stacey Trinidad and Shaun Wundrack. Dan Gilbert scored in the top one percentile.
With the state of today's economy, more than ever, students realize the significance of focusing on financial education during their high school years.
Monticello
High School Academy of Finance News 2007-08
The Monticello High School Academy
of Finance is a two-year program that students apply to at the
end of tenth grade. Students are selected through an application
process: Teacher and guidance counselor recommendations are
required. Grades, attendance and discipline records will be
checked.
This program is a member program of the National Academy
Foundation which was founded in New York City by a partnership
of schools and the financial services business. There are
approximately 300 Academy programs in the United States.
Our Academy works with local businesses, and both education and
government leaders, to design and offer financial education
opportunities for Monticello High School students.
To learn more about the Academy of Finance, e-mail Advisor Wendy
Levinson at
wlevinson@k12mcsd.net or visit the National Academy
Foundation (NAF) website at
www.naf.org.
AOF
students connect with community supporters
At the recent Monticello High
School Academy of Finance (AOF) Community Reception, the
suit-clad AOF students conducted themselves with such
professional confidence it was difficult to differentiate
between them and the community businesspeople. That brought a
smile to the face of Academy Director Wendy Levinson, who
tirelessly strives to get her AOF members ready for the real
world.
This
annual event is a way for students to mingle with the
businesspeople, teachers and parents who support the AOF program
and to personally thank them for their commitment. With the
crowd at Mr. Willy’s Restaurant bustling with close to 100
attendees, and with words of business wisdom shared by Keynote
Speaker Julie Greenwald, the 27 young Academy members seemed
poised to take on the world!
Press release about the event written by an AOF student (PDF
document).
Press release about the event written by another AOF student
(PDF document).
Photo 1: From left, Academy of
Finance Director Wendy Levinson with six of her 27 AOF seniors:
Darren Fraser, Jessica Simpson, Sarah Pimienta, Charles Marinaro,
Victoria Dunlap and Sergio Guillermo. Also pictured are Atlantic
Records President Julie Greenwald and AOF Advisory Board
Chairperson Joyce Salimeno of the Gersten-Hillman Insurance
Agency.
Photo 2: 2005 AOF alumnus Laura Ferranti attended the festive event to see some of her former teachers and support the Academy. Also pictured are AOF instructor Nancy Swaine and AOF senior Bryan Fuller with some of his family members. Brian worked last summer at Schmidt's Electrical & Plumbing Wholesalers in Monticello for his internship.
AOF
students volunteer for a good cause
Some students from the Monticello
High School Academy of Finance (AOF) did a great job
volunteering at the recent Dispute Resolution Center (DRC)
fundraiser. They assisted in coat checking, greeting, and
parking. DRC officials were very pleased with their
professionalism and very appreciative of their help. This is
part of the on-going effort of the school district to strengthen
ties with its community.
For more information about the DRC,
click here.
New
Tax Preparation Service Offered by the AOF
For the first time ever,
Monticello High School Academy of Finance (AOF) students have
opened a real-life tax office to help friends, relatives and
community members with their taxes – for free!
Anyone with a gross income of $40,000 or less is welcome to call
AOF Director Wendy Levinson at 794-8840, ext. 10848 to make an
appointment. The service will be open from 2:15-4:30 p.m. during
March and April. Individuals need to bring all of their tax
forms and documents and their social security card. The service
is overseen by accounting teacher Susan Bahrenburg who is a CPA,
and math teacher Eric Shewmaker, both of whom are IRS tax
preparer certified.
This year, the IRS estimates an additional 23.5 million
taxpayers will need to file tax returns for the sole purpose of
receiving the government stimulus package rebate.
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program was
formulated after Levinson and Bahrenburg became aware of its
success at other AOF schools while attending a National Academy
Foundation Conference in July 2007. They then met with IRS
representatives who assisted them in implementing the program.
The main goal of VITA is to have students prepare accurate tax
returns for other students and for low to moderate income adults
at no cost. As part of the learning process, students in
Levinson's Business Communications class are required to develop
marketing materials and the necessary communications to inform
the school and community of the service and their hours of
operation.
Click here for the full story.
Community
businesses are helping prepare our high school students for the
real working world
On Thursday, October 18,
Monticello High School’s Academy of Finance had their annual
Networking Breakfast and Advisory Board meeting in the high
school library. The event was attended by more than 60 junior
and senior AOF student representatives and 20 AOF Board members
and special guests, including Superintendent of Schools Dr.
Patrick Michel. The Academy’s Advisory Board is made up of local
entrepreneurs, community members and business people.
The networking session provided a chance for students and adults
to mingle and chat and to get to know each other while noshing
on breakfast treats. It was also an opportunity for students to
meet potential internship providers, as part of the Academy’s
requirement includes a summer-long internship working at a local
business. Students clad in suits, ties and professional business
attire got the real-world experience of shaking hands,
introducing themselves, and confidently portraying their skills
and interests to professionals in a variety of fields.
After the networking segment, the Board meeting commenced with
AOF President Jessica Simpson and vice president, Aaron Levine,
explaining future endeavors of the Academy. AOF seniors
introduced themselves and talked about their interesting
experiences during their summer internships. Board members then
explained their businesses, their backgrounds and their pathways
to success. They answered questions from the audience and
discussed current issues that are relevant in today’s business
and financial markets.
AOF Advisory Board members have been very supportive to students
since the Academy began in 1999 by generously giving their time,
effort, and guidance. Members have had a positive influence on
students and have helped them ignite interest in their future
endeavors, while demonstrating the value of being philanthropic
and socially responsible. Many of the AOF Board members also
donate money to the program, provide students with paid summer
internships, and supply the youths with successful role models
from the local business community.
Academy of Finance 2007-2008 Advisory Board members:
Jacob Billig - Monticello Central
Schools Board of Education; Joel Blum - Smith Barney; Carl
Casella - Primerica Financial Services; Jonathan Farrow -
community member; Lori Rubenstein-Fleck - RubyFlecks Creative
Consulting, Susan Horton - Sullivan County Community College,
Cindy Kashan - Sullivan County Community College, Jacquie
Leventoff - Kohl’s Distribution Center; Diane Levine - Catskill
Brokers; Zane Morganstein - Associated Mutual Insurance
Cooperative; Pamela Rourke - BOCES Adult Education; Richard
Rowley - Rowley Building Products; Joyce Salimeno - Gersten-Hillman
Insurance Agency; Christopher Schmidt - Schmidt’s Wholesale,
Inc.; Richard Sush - community member; Mona Tugender - County
Fountain Supplies; Michael Wapnick - Ike’s Auto Parts
Photo 1: Superintendent of Schools
Dr. Patrick Michel, center, sits with the Academy of Finance
Advisory Board at the recent networking breakfast. A panel of 12
community members and business people were on-hand to answer
questions and discuss relevant issues with the high school
students who are enrolled in the academy.
Photo 2: High school juniors and seniors in the Academy of
Finance were totally engaged by the relevance of the Advisory
Board discussions during the morning event.
Photo 3: From left, AOF Advisory Board Chairwoman and Gersten-Hillman
Insurance Agency owner Joyce Salimeno, high school senior Carly
Bulaga, and AOF Director Wendy Levinson. Salimeno has been
active with the Academy since it began in 1999.
Academy of Finance student Phylicia Bediako contributed to this
story.
Academy
of Finance alumnus gives back to Monticello
At Monticello High School, teacher
and Academy of Finance founder/director Wendy Levenson and her
former student, Joel Blum, have come full circle together.
Blum, Class of 2000, was in Levenson's first Academy of Finance.
Recently, he presented Levenson with a grant of $3,000 on behalf
of his employer, Citi Smith Barney, where he is a financial
adviser and guided portfolio manager.
The Academy of Finance is a symbiotic relationship among
schools, students and corporate America.
Business owners offer internships and donations and serve as
guest speakers and role models. In exchange, they get more
skilled interns, and a higher caliber of job applicants when AOF
students graduate from college.
Monticello students with an interest in business and finance get
consistent exposure to specialized business knowledge and best
practices, access to college level courses and value-added items
for their college and job resumes.
The schools get donations, like the one Blum presented, toward
the cost of tuition for college-level finance courses that
students can take while still in high school. The school also
gets a renewable resource of AOF graduates, like Blum, who keep
the cycle going.
"We couldn't have applied for this grant without a Citi group
employee," Levinson said.
The businesses, schools and students also get bragging rights;
nationwide, AOF participants are eight times more likely to have
paid summer internships and twice as likely to take college
level courses while in high school; 92 percent graduate and 80
percent go on to college, according to Blum.
- Story and photo by Melissa Rennie, reprinted courtesy of the
Times Herald-Record May 09, 2007 -
Students
gaining real-life business savvy in Monticello High School's
Academy of Finance
The world of business is changing
and experts agree that schools need to begin reshaping their
structure and curriculum to keep up with the human resource
needs of the new global economy. Monticello High School’s
Academy of Finance (AOF) is making sure its graduates are ready
to step into the 21st Century workplace.
The program began in 1999 as the brainchild of AOF director and
teacher Wendy Levinson, and past school Principal William
Stickney. Stickney’s prior experience with small learning
communities, combined with Levinson’s business expertise, help
build the AOF as a way to expose students to the world of
business and finance while still in high school.
With the help of teachers Nancy Swaine, Susan Bahrenburg and
Peter Weinman, the academy offers courses in accounting,
business law, international business, economics, financial
decision making and entrepreneurship.
Academy of Finance alumnus gives back to Monticello
1 of 1 Monticello High School teacher and Academy of Finance
director Wendy Levenson accepts a check for $3,000 from her
former student, Joel Blum. Blum, Class of 2000, was in
Levenson's first Academy of Finance. Now a financial adviser and
guided portfolio manager of Citi Smith Barney, he made the
presentation on behalf of his employer.Photo provided By Melissa
Rennie
It also requires that students work during the summer between
11th and 12th grades. Students have to write a professional
resume and be interviewed by their chosen internship site, which
is picked by Levinson using each student’s strengths. This part
of the program has created strong ties with local businesses who
want to help students understand and experience a real work
environment.
Full story