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Money. Bills. Benjamins. Everybody wants it, but not everyone knows how to cultivate it. Olympic legend and gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee presented a check and congratulations on Thursday, Feb. 10 to the seventh graduating class of the financial literacy course, made possible in part by the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Head Start/Early Head Start program. 

SIUE partners with the Jackie Joyner-Kersee (JJK) Foundation and the Associated Bank in East St. Louis to offer the 10-week financial literacy course for parents and grandparents of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Head Start Center in East St. Louis. 

Joyner-Kersee lauds and continues to support the course because of its importance and to better educate the Black community about the financial advantages in using banks over check cashing locations and grocery stores. 

“The course teaches financial skills to parents who can then pass them along to their children,” said Marcia Oliver, SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center coordinator. “We want our parents to make smart financial choices.” 

A $1,000 check was presented to each graduate to spend for themselves and to set up a savings account for their children attending the SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start center. Each graduate will also have access to a personal banker from Associated Bank, according to Oliver. Anonymous donors provided the funding for the course. 

The graduates included: Dora Lisa Buford, Mercedes Howard, Marcell Phiffer and Katrinna Weathersby. 

Another course will be offered in the spring. 

The SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start Program serves more than 860 families and children birth through age five, including children with special needs, throughout St. Clair County. The program also provides services to expectant mothers. The program is housed in 12 early childhood centers, seven managed directly by SIUE staff and five collaborations. The program includes a rigorous school readiness program and provides comprehensive services, such as health/ dental screenings and family engagement and support activities.  

The Jackie-Joyner Kersee Foundation – Jackie Joyner-Kersee is committed to ensuring that all children have access to high quality after-school programs, safe recreational places within their communities, and caring adults to help them achieve their dreams. Jackie launched the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation in Los Angeles and moved it to East St. Louis in 1995. Inspired by the closing of her neighborhood community center, Jackie grew the Foundation by raising over $12 million to expand programming and built a comprehensive youth and sports.

Photo:
Seated are graduates and their children (from left to right): Katrina Weathersby, Marcell Phiffer, Mercedes Howard and Dor Lisa Buford. Back row (left to right) are: Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Olympian and gold medalist; Loretta Holmes, senior branch manager at Associated Bank; Phillip Hickman, Associated Bank market president; Marcia Oliver, SIUE Head Start/Early Head Start Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center coordinator; and Mark Mestemacher, JJK Foundation board member.