West Tennessee educator honored with Financial Literacy Award

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Three Tennessee educators are being honored for their leadership in bringing financial education to their students.

Courtesy: Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission

Hardin County Middle School teacher Detra Thomas was presented with the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission Leadership Award at an event in Nashville.

“Educators play many roles and take on many responsibilities as they teach our children. Tonight, we would like to honor three educators who are leading their schools in bringing financial education tools to their students,” said Treasurer David H. Lillard Jr. “They do so because they know that these lessons have real-life applications, and they are dedicated to the whole well-being of their students, and their futures.”

Thomas teaches financial literacy to students in grades 6-8, and attended six Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission-sponsored workshops after learning of the Commission’s professional development offerings.

This past spring, Thomas implemented one of the Commission’s digital financial literacy programs with 83 middle school students. A news release states that by June, thanks to Thomas’s dedication, the students had completed over 390 modules on subjects such as budgeting, career planning and and healthy borrowing habits.

Other recipients of the Tennessee Financial Literacy Commission Leadership Award include Shelly Lott of Middle Tennessee and Susan Mallette of East Tennessee.

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