Arizona Council On Economic Education

Wonderful team of employees and volunteers to reach and teach Arizona students and teachers about economics and financial literacy. Could you imagine the state of Arizona having all students leave high school understanding how money works and be able to live fully not worrying about how to handle their finances? ACEE is striving to create an environment of people that can be a value to themselves, their families and their community!

What an absolute privilege and honor to be a judge for the 2024 annual Economics and Financial Planning Challenge. The opportunity ACEE offers these amazing students to experience a real life financial case study is extremely valuable for the future of the students and those they will impact. I was impressed with all of their preparation, research and presentation skills!!! The financial solutions they came to the table with were all unique and outstanding!! Looking forward to next year and doing more to support ACEE and the impact they are having on our students future!!

I had the pleasure of working with ACEE for the 4th Annual Peoria Unified Financial Literacy Family Night at Sun Valley Elementary School - what an amazing event! Very well organized, and ACEE did a fantastic job of making it fun and engaging for everyone. It's evident that ACEE has a strong passion for financial education, and seeks to continually refine the program based on feedback from participants and volunteers.

Their annual Economics and Financial Planning Challenges engage middle and high schools to think critically about current economic issues and how they might impact them, along with useful tools and knowledge to help them be more financially proficient adults!

I have had the pleasure of working with/supporting the ACEE over the years. The programs that this outstanding non profit provides to k-12 teachers, students and families is increasingly important. The professional staff is committed to extending economic education, the economic way of thinking and a knowledge of personal finance to our communities in an accessible manner.

I have been on the Board of the Arizona Council on Economic Education (ACEE) for close to 15 years and am proud to see that the mission of ACEE to provide training and resources to teachers in Arizona to teach students the concepts of economics and financial literacy has not only continued, but the outreach to teachers and the number of students that they teach has grown substantially. Elena Zee and the the small but highly efficient ACEE staff continue to make a positive and significant difference to the level of financial literacy to thousands of students in Arizona.

I continue to be so impressed with ACEE. The resources they provide, their integration with the community, the professional development events- they are all second to none. As a financial educator it sometimes feels like an uphill battle to get this valuable information into the hands of students who need it and ACEE has been a tremendous help in making that happen.

ACEE has helped me as a teacher in so many ways. I have learned about new lesson materials, participated in engaging activities that I could use in my classroom, and have had students recognized through participation in their student programs. The ACEE staff is always looking for ways to help me become a better teacher, and I've never been disappointed in the professional development I've attended.

Let me start by saying that after 20+years in education, I have never come across any other organization that has the passion and dedication to teachers that ACEE has. Everything that ACEE does is driven by the need to put teachers first. Financial literacy and economic education is generally swept under the rug like most untested subjects in Arizona. ACEE helps teachers not only understand the importance of financial and economic education, but shows them with hands-on experience how to incorporate it into other content areas. With their dedicated and knowledgeable staff, ACEE is making a difference in Arizona!

As a teacher, I don't know how I would have survived my first years teaching without the help and support of ACEE. The professional development they offer is outstanding! They also have amazing programs that my students have participated in, including the Stock Market Game, Rockonomix, and the Mayors' Challenge Economics Competition. The staff is friendly and always ready to support teachers and students.

(Picture - one of my winning teams from the 2019 Mayors' Challenge)

Elena Zee and her team at ACEE provide (at not cost) superb grade-appropriate modules of economic and financial literacy education to any class or school that requests it (thanks to wonderful partners). In my view, these programs absolutely contribute to a greater probability of lifelong financial stability for the students who experience it. ACEE lessons are, literally, "the gift that keeps on giving," even to an intergenerational extent.

The staff and programs at ACEE are wonderful and it is amazing how much they accomplish with limited resources. I was fortunate enough to attend the VOTE: Economics of Immigration class and it was awesome! Such a great example of the programs they offer to teachers for no- or limited expense. They even off a travel stipend to help teachers who need assistance when traveling to programs. I am proud to donate to this non-profit and help contribute to the work that they are doing to help improve economic education in our community!

I just attended a two day teacher advisory ACEE training. It was very well received by all. I gained a wealth of information, including an update on the draft Arizona K - 12 Economic Standards ~ such timely, practical information!

Very well done!

I started as a volunteer board member of this organization many years ago. I was so inspired by the difference ACEE is making in economic and financial literacy education and its potential to do even more in Arizona that I gave up a lucrative corporate job to become a full-time staff member. Seeing engaged students, hardworking teachers, and passionate board members we work with every day makes this the most rewarding job experience I have had in my career. Arizona Council on Economic Education envisions a world where every student grows up to become financially and economically responsible consumers, employees, parents, entrepreneurs, leaders, and citizens in the future.

ACEE is an open and connected organization, seeking to promote financial literacy of students in Arizona and to support teachers in the community with their expertise in economic education. In an economy that needs fiscally savvy and responsible young adults more than ever, ACEE’s mission, vision, and actions, illustrate a wonderful example of what can go right in education. In my brief but gratifying exposure to ACEE as a volunteer, I received support for success on the project and appreciation for my efforts. I encourage others to support this great organization.

ACEE works hard to promote economic education in Arizona. It has programs to educate teachers so that the teachers are well equipped to teach economics to students. I have attended these sessions and the teachers rave about the content and the materials they are given including lesson plans and activities for K-12. ACEE also has great programs for students, including the stock market game. You won't find a non-profit with a staff that works harder than those at ACEE.