NFL
Players
Assoc.
educates
students
on "The
Game Of
Life:
Financial
literacy"
By Trey
Battle
Tell Us
Detroit
DETROIT
-
Studies
show,
that
young
adults
who
display
higher
financial
literacy
early
on, are
less
likely
to
exhibit
high-risk
financial
behavior.
Balancing
a
checkbook
and
paying
bills on
time are
basic
activities,
but
essential
to
establishing
and
maintaining
good
credit,
to buy a
home, to
purchase
a car or
to start
a
business.
APEX
Leadership
Academy’s
“GAME of
LIFE
Financial
Series”
is
specifically
designed
to
address
these
concerns.
After
two full
Saturdays
of
workshops,
held at
The
University
of
Phoenix
in
Southfield,
nearly
30 high
school
students
received
both
formal
and
informal
training
on
becoming
more
financially
astute.
Former
NFL
Players,
including
Benny
Blades,
Jim
Thrower,
Alfred
Fields,
George
Jamison,
Scott
Conover,
Ron
Rice,
and
President
of the
Detroit
Chapter
NFLPA,
Tim
Walton,
shared
real-world
techniques
for
believing
in
themselves,
reasons
for
gaining
a strong
sense of
how
business
works
along
with
personal
stories
of what
it was
like to
earn and
spend
the kind
of money
they
did. As
part of
this
“Activate
MY
Greatness”
program,
the
goals
were to:
•
Strengthen
their
awareness
of
financial
opportunities
•
Develop
financial
confidence
in
everyday
transactions
•
Utilize
banking
services
and
other
financial
institutions
effectively
as well
as
•
Increase
knowledge
of their
personality
traits
and how
to
exhibit
personal
leadership
Antonio
Stokes,
a
Financial
Advisor
for
Antonio
Stokes
Advisors,
delivered
two
3-hour
long
sessions
on
topics
that
included;
Credit
Scores,
Managing
a Bank
Account
& their
Income,
Strategies
for
holding
on to
more of
their
money
along
with How
to Write
a Check,
Complete
a W-4
and
understand
deductions
on a Pay
Stub.
During
the
Personal
Leadership
segments
of the
trainings,
Edward
Foxworth,
CEO and
Head
Coach of
APEX
Leadership
Academy,
provided
instruction
on
understanding
themselves
better
through
some
essential
personality
traits,
the
purpose
and
importance
of
personal
leadership
along
with how
they
could
synthesize
personal
success
strategies
with
being
good
stewards
of their
money.
“I can’t
think of
a better
use of
our time
as men,
but
especially
as
former
professional
athletes,
than
giving
back to
young
people
who are
eager to
learn”,
said Tim
Walton.
As
part of
this
program,
students,
who came
from
different
Metro
Detroit
High
Schools,
received
workbooks,
lunch
each
day,
book
bags,
incentives
and
Certificates
of
Completion
all
because
of
sponsorships
from
Comerica
Bank,
Doug
Walls
and the
Eagle
Excavation
Team,
the
Detroit
Lions,
the
NFLPA,
Henry
Ford
Health
Systems,
and
proceeds
from a
Former
Players,
Detroit
Chapter
sponsored
fundraiser
held
this
past
summer.
“I am
grateful
to have
had
these
professionals
come and
participate
in this
meaningful
series,
says Mr.
Foxworth,
“as we
plan for
additional
trainings
on
College
Preparation,
Leadership
Education,
and
Career
Planning
in the
coming
months,
sponsors
are
needed
to
support
delivering
the same
level of
quality
to more
Metro
Detroit
youth”.
Organizations
and
individuals
interested
in this
“Activate
MY
Greatness”
Program
for
youth
can
visit
www.APEXLeadershipacademy.com
for more
information
or to
make a
tax-deductible
donation!