New Classroom Program Promotes Investor Education, Financial Literacy

The Nova Scotia Securities Commission is launching a new investor education program, Live Stock Adventure, to help teach safe investing and financial literacy skills to students in grades 6 to 8.

The Live Stock Adventure is a fun and educational activity for middle school students, to not only to raise students' awareness of the value of saving and investing, but also to provide an innovative way to practice specific math skills such as calculating percentages and computing multi-digit numbers.

"Our goal is to provide Nova Scotia youth with the skills and knowledge to make smart financial choices," said Natalie MacLellan, investor education and communications co-ordinator for the Nova Scotia Securities Commission. "The Live Stock Adventure offers a fun and engaging way for teachers to introduce complex financial lessons into the classroom."

The program, initially developed by the Youth Outreach Project Group of the North American Securities Administrators Association, has been adapted for use in Nova Scotia.

Interested teachers can contact the commission to receive a free Live Stock Adventure kit. The kit contains a limited edition deck of playing cards, instruction booklet, score sheets and classroom posters. Teachers can also request a commission staff member to come to present the program to students.

For more information, visit the commission's website at www.beforeyouinvest.ca/2011/10/live-stock-adventure/ .

The Nova Scotia Securities Commission is the provincial government agency responsible for regulating trading in securities in the province.

The commission is a member of the North American Securities Administrators Association, the oldest international organization devoted to investor protection. Its membership consists of the securities administrators in Canada, 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Mexico.