Personal finance is evolving faster than most curriculum can keep up. From sports betting and fast fashion to Buy Now Pay Later services and influencer investing, students are making complex financial decisions in real time. This interactive session gives CTE educators practical, classroom ready strategies to address emerging trends while reinforcing core concepts such as risk, credit, incentives, and consumer protection.
Midwest Partnerships Manager, Next Gen Personal Finance
Ryan supports teachers, districts, and states in delivering engaging, high-impact personal finance instruction. A former business and marketing teacher, he brings firsthand classroom experience to his work with CTE leaders and educators. He focuses on practical implementation by helping... Read More →
Monday July 20, 2026 1:00pm - 1:50pm CDT RC 17511190 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66210
With digitization reshaping the way we bank, pay, and earn, it's crucial to deepen students’ understanding so they can navigate our evolving financial landscape. This session will explore a new online course that delves into the innovative world of finance and technology through a student lens.
The lessons cover digital banking and payments, how to manage one’s digital financial footprint, social trends that intersect with finance, risks associated with digital banking and payments, digital currencies, avoiding financial frauds and scams, and more. The three stand-alone modules offer student-centered activities, built-in assessments, and a comprehensive teacher’s guide, and can also be integrated into existing learning management systems for students to complete independently. Join this session to discover how this new curriculum can help teens take control of their financial future and empower them to make more informed choices in our digital world.
Director of Education, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City
Gigi Wolf Neil is Director of Education for the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, where she coordinates the strategic direction of education outreach throughout Kansas, western Missouri, and the region. She has extensive experience developing curricula related to economics, entrepreneurship... Read More →
Monday July 20, 2026 2:00pm - 2:50pm CDT RC 17511190 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66210
Looking for practical classroom resources that save planning time without sacrificing quality? This session introduces educators to ready-to-use CTE lesson plans and classroom resources available through izzit.org. Designed around sound instructional practices, these materials help reduce planning time while supporting student engagement. An educator with 20 years of experience using the resources will demonstrate how to access them at no cost, including 45-minute lessons, daily current events articles with discussion questions, and classroom activities, and will share practical strategies for integrating them into existing courses to enhance instruction and streamline preparation.
District Coordinator - Career & Technical Education, Blue Valley Schools
Mark started his career in business after graduating with a degree from Western Michigan University. He spent the next 20 years working in the corporate world and also receiving his MBA from Kansas University. He also started an income tax preparation company with his brother that... Read More →
Tuesday July 21, 2026 9:45am - 10:35am CDT RC 18311190 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66210
Free seminar to demystify checking accounts, budgeting, and credit scores.
This is a “no shame – no blame” seminar that gives actionable steps to raise your credit score.
Learn about the free self-guided financial tools available to teachers and students.
We offer a free one on one personal Financial Checkup (with a certified financial councilor) to all attendees without requiring that they become Mainstreet Credit Union members.
Business Development Officer, Mainstreet Credit Union
Kelly Main has worked at Mainstreet Credit Union for over 3 years in Business Development. She partners with other companies to give free financial education seminars to groups both large and small. These seminars focus on a "no shame/no blame" inclusive style that promotes discussion... Read More →
Community Relations Officer, Mainstreet Credit Union
Jillian is the Community Relations Officer for Mainstreet Credit Union where she has worked for three years. Her role is to educate others about the importance of financial literacy as well as build and maintain relationships with community members, school districts, and local businesses... Read More →
Tuesday July 21, 2026 11:00am - 11:50am CDT RC 14511190 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66210
Advisory boards are required for most CTE programs—but too often they function as compliance checkboxes rather than strategic workforce partners. This session will explore how secondary and postsecondary CTE leaders can transform advisory boards from routine meetings into meaningful collaborations that drive program innovation, strengthen workforce alignment, and create direct student opportunities.
Drawing from practical experience in rural community college CTE leadership and high school level CTE programs, participants will learn how to recruit the right members, structure high-impact meetings, leverage labor market data, and turn advisory conversations into actionable outcomes. The session will provide ready-to-use strategies, templates, and implementation ideas that can be adapted to both high school and community college programs.
If your advisory board feels stagnant—or if you're ready to elevate it to the next level—this session will provide practical, replicable tools to make it happen.
Agriculture Division Chair, Perkins Co-Coordinator, Faculty, Fort Scott Community College
Sara Sutton is the Agriculture Department Chair, Perkins Co-Coordinator, and faculty member at Fort Scott Community College. A proud graduate of Fort Scott Community College, she also earned her bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Kansas State University, a master’s degree in... Read More →
Tuesday July 21, 2026 1:30pm - 2:20pm CDT RC 15711190 Quivira Rd, Overland Park, KS 66210
