<p>OVERLAND PARK, Kansas – U.S. Central Credit Union is joining with the Kansas Credit Union Association and several other financial, business, educational and non-profit organizations throughout Kansas to form the Kansas Jump$tart Coalition, a statewide effort to encourage and support personal finance education in grades K-12. The Kansas Jump$tart Coalition is part of the national Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy based in Washington, D.C. The Kansas coalition is one of nine state groups participating in the program. "Financial literacy and education is gaining a lot of attention lately as many national programs and even legislation focus on this growing need," said Lisa Mallow, public relations manager for U.S. Central and member of the Kansas Jump$tart Coalition founding board. Kansas Jump$tart's goals include raising awareness of the need for personal financial education, advocating the integration of personal finance education into existing curricular standards, enhancing professional development for Kansas educators in the area of financial literacy, and promoting communication and cooperation among coalition members. Currently, the coalition has a Web site that serves as a clearinghouse for existing financial education resources available in Kansas. Most recently, the coalition worked with Kansas high schools to coordinate their participation in the 2002 Personal Financial Survey of twelfth-grade students conducted by the National Jump$tart Coalition. For more information, visit www.ksjumpstart.wichita.edu.</p>