Michelle Coates of Anne Arundel County honored as 2023 Community Champion
The nonprofits CASH (Creating Assets, Savings, and Hope) Campaign of Maryland, Maryland Council on Economic Education (MCEE) and the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) are pleased to announce the 2023 winners of the tenth annual Maryland Financial Education and Capability Awards. The award winners were highlighted during a virtual event on April 26, 2023. The honorees are the sole winners in their categories statewide and highlight the importance of financial education for all age groups. Each winner receives a $1000 award, as well as recognition.
The Maryland Financial Education and Capability Awards highlight the dedication and success of elementary, middle and high school public school teachers, community champions and outstanding organizations who deliver financial education. Financial education focuses on a range of financial management concepts and behaviors including budgeting, careers and income, credit, savings, financial decision-making, and understanding values and habits about money. The awards were developed by the CASH Campaign of Maryland and MCEE, in conjunction with the state’s Maryland Financial Education and Capability Commission, to call attention to the importance of financial education to the lives of Marylanders. An easy and free way for people across the state to learn to better manage their personal finances is by accessing the Maryland CASH Academy, a statewide online source for free, stand-alone financial education webinars and classes. Visit www.mdcashacademy.org. Financial educators can access personal finance resources and training, and hands-on K-12 student programs from MCEE at https://www.econed.org/
This year, a resident of Anne Arundel County, Michelle Coates, was awarded the 2023 Financial Education and Capability Award for Community Champion. Growing up financially insecure, she learned the importance of financial education. As a result, she became a volunteer financial educator combining her 40 plus years in banking with her high-energy teaching approach to financial education, sharing her knowledge teaching classes at community-based organizations, in faith-based settings, the library system, and elsewhere. She believes it is our responsibility to educate children and adults about the importance of financial skills necessary for a successful future. That is what she is doing as a volunteer educator and why she was chosen for this honor. Coates currently lives in Odenton and works in Annapolis as the Finance Administrator for the Register of Wills. During the virtual event, the Anne Arundel County Register of Wills Erica Griswold paid tribute to Coates’ selfless contributions to financial education for adults and youth.
2023 Financial Education and Capability Award Winners:
Elementary School Teacher Award: Karen Yancey, Marley Elementary School (Anne Arundel County) For her consistent support of growing student knowledge and her commitment to bringing economic education to her school community.
Middle School Teacher Award: Amanda Price, Northern Middle School (Calvert County)
For incorporating financial education programs into Calvert County school classes and encouraging other teachers to embrace financial education.
High School Teacher Award: Kurt Marx, Stephen Decatur High School (Worcester County) – For getting to know his students’ motivations and interests and sharing with them the importance of financial education knowledge and how it will contribute to their success.
Community Champion: Michelle Coates, Volunteer (Anne Arundel County) – For her work with youth and adults teaching them all aspects of building life financial skills and her support of advancing financial education in Maryland.
Outstanding Organization: Human Services Programs of Carroll County, Inc.
Economic Mobility Program (Carroll County) – For developing dynamic programming and services, over the past 35 years, to address the root causes of poverty, while guiding low-income households to a path of self-sufficiency. “As we celebrate the tenth anniversary of the Maryland Financial Education and Capability Awards, the CASH Campaign of Maryland is proud once again to call attention to the important work being done by dedicated public school teachers, community champions and outstanding organizations as they help individuals of all ages learn to make good financial decisions,” stated Robin McKinney, Co-Founder and CEO of the CASH (Creating Assets, Savings and Hope) Campaign of Maryland. “These Awards were developed by CASH in conjunction with our partners at MCEE and MSDE to acknowledge these leaders and their dedication to sharing financial management concepts to positively change behavior. We congratulate this year’s winners for making financial education work.” Visit www.cashmd.org.