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Penguin Toss Financial Teaching Tool

October 30, 2009
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A youth advocacy organization based in Washington is trying to get young people thinking about financial responsibility, one hand-held video game at a time.

When 27-year-old Eric Heis decided to teach his peers about finances, he turned to a game known as "Penguin Toss." Players pluck a penguin from an icy pond and throw it into the air. But Heis, who works at a think tank in Washington, says he noticed young Capitol Hill staffers had a lot more fun playing Penguin Toss on their Blackberries than reading his policy papers, so he came up with a game of his own.

The game is called "Governor Toss." The player adds to the state budget and can improve things that can advance the governor, for example. Heis has applied for a $25,000 grant from Mobilize.org, a group trying to get young people to think about finances.

Mobilize.org will award the grant in November.

Alex Keefe reports...

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