Teachers can win cash prizes and a scholarship to attend a summer institute in Philadelphia by entering the Teaching Thrift Curriculum Development Contest.

The Teaching Thrift Curriculum Development Contest is open to K-12 teachers of all subjects, in any state. To enter, teachers develop and teach a lesson on the topic of thrift, defined as an ethic of industry, savings, and stewardship. There will be one grand prize of $2,000 and up to four runner-up prizes of $1,000 each, thanks to the generous support of John and Josephine Templeton. Winners will also have the opportunity to attend the 2013 Thrift Summer Institute, which will be held at the Historical Society of Pennsylvania from July 14 through 18.

To learn more, visit http://hsp.org/teaching-thrift-curriculum-development-contest. Interested teachers must register their intent to be part of the contest by filling out the form on the website. Registration allows for the program evaluator to contact you. The deadline to submit a lesson plan is May 15, 2013.

Thrift was championed in schools in the late 1800s and early 1900s through the School Savings Bank movement. Today thrift is a defined as the ethic of “wise use.”  Learning about thrift can help students become better citizens and lead more productive lives. Thrift fits into many subjects: reading, writing, economics, history, family and consumer science, and financial literacy.

Besides winning cash prizes, the contest winners will have a chance to further develop their lessons during the Thrift Summer Teacher Institute and share their expertise with other teachers there.  During the institute, winners also will have the opportunity for a behind-the-scenes tour of the Historical Society of Pennsylvania as well as a chance to meet Dr. John Templeton, a leader in reviving the thrift movement. In the fall after the Institute, teachers may have their classes participate in a research study about thrift education and have their lessons posted on the Pennsylvania’s Standards Aligned System website to benefit other teachers and students.

This contest is supported by the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and our partners: the Institute for American Values, Sally Flaherty of the Pennsylvania Department of Education, and John and Josephine Templeton.