Ridley School District Superintendent Lee Ann Wentzel has been named the 2017 Financial Literacy Advocate by Franklin Mint Federal Credit Union for her commitment to and active involvement in financial education within the Ridley community and beyond.

Each year, FMFCU and its charitable foundation recognize an educator for his or her work to promote financial literacy.

Wentzel will be formally honored before a gathering of more than 600 educators, administrators, students, parents, business professionals, and local dignitaries at the annual Partners in Education Celebration. The region’s premier academic achievement event will be held Thursday, April 27 at the Drexelbrook Corporate Events Center in Drexel Hill.

“All of the credit goes to the many people who did the real work building financial literacy for the district,” said Wentzel. “The School Board championed the ideas; the elementary staff leads children on field trips to Bear Country Credit Union; and the high school staff envisioned, constructed, and delivered real world applications (via a Student-Operated Financial Literacy Center and FMFCU-led financial education).”

Each of those endeavors was executed with Partners in Education.

Rick Durante, Vice President of Education for FMFCU, said Wentzel’s advocacy and exemplary leadership style has made a huge difference in the community.

“Thanks to her initiative, hundreds of students have access to hands-on financial education programs,” Durante said. “With a Student-Operated Financial Literacy Center inside Ridley High School, school field trips to Bear Country Credit Union for the youngest learners in the district, and a slew of age-appropriate financial literacy lessons and workshop for every grade level, Ridley is building a culture of fiscal responsibility.”