Fiserv, Inc. and the Milwaukee Bucks today announced they will support a SHARP Literacy program that will teach financial intelligence to students in the Milwaukee area.
The two organizations’ support will allow the Milwaukee-based nonprofit organization to expand and incorporate financial literacy education into its “Design Through Code” program, a course that teaches technology, life skills and design thinking to area students. The program will be offered at 10 schools in Milwaukee and Waukesha Counties.
Under the partnership, the SHARP Literacy program will culminate in a design challenge held at Fiserv Forum, where students will apply their knowledge of coding, financial literacy and design thinking to develop a prototype solution to an identified problem.
The partnership will allow Fiserv and Milwaukee Bucks employees to volunteer at the design event and in classrooms.
“We’re excited to support the growth of ‘Design through Code’, which will give Fiserv and Bucks employees a great opportunity to be mentors while providing youth a world-class environment to showcase their innovative ideas for the future,” said Peter Feigin, Milwaukee Bucks and Fiserv Forum president.
The organizations’ financial commitment wasn’t disclosed.
“Fiserv is helping elevate financial literacy conversations to assist people in making better financial decisions,” said Jeffery Yabuki, president and chief executive officer of Fiserv. “Our support of the SHARP Literacy program will help educate students about money management and financial skills, setting them on the path to a lifetime of financial intelligence.”
SHARP Literacy provides an enrichment program aimed at reducing the achievement gap among Milwaukee area students in grades 4K-5, with a focus on building students’ reading, writing and research skills.
It currently serves more than 8,500 students and educators in 43 schools across Milwaukee and Waukesha County.
“Our goal is to provide students with the education and experience they need to increase their confidence in learning,” said Lynda Kohler, president and chief executive officer of SHARP Literacy. “By making it possible for us to incorporate financial literacy into our program, Fiserv and the Milwaukee Bucks are helping children build a critical skill that will benefit them throughout their lives.”
