1. The Connection Initiative
Helping students connect a quality
education to their future well-being

2. The challenge … Helping students
connect education to future finances

3. Five years in the making
“How well are we doing as a school district, in terms of helping students connect education
to a pair of Nike tennis shoes?” That’s the question Wes Hall, CEO of the Institute for Student
Empowerment, posed, to the superintendent of Omaha Public Schools District. The
superintendent, Dr. John Mackiel, responded, “Wes, I’m not sure we’re doing that.” That
question and the subsequent response was the impetus for a five year research project that
measured student’s attitudes regarding education, information, and their future well-being.
Mr. Hall and his team were granted access to students, classrooms, teachers and parents,
throughout the district. Four high schools were selected to house the “Student
Empowerment Program.” The success of the program was immediate and students deemed
“Disengaged” recommitted to their education, stayed in school, recovered credits and
graduated.

4. Cont.
For Hall, those successes were not enough, what he sought was empirical data to
substantiate his assumption. As a result of observing and recognizing recurring
patterns of behavior contributing to under-achievement and dropout, Hall created a
43-question survey that could assist in confirming his theory (students who do not
connect a quality education to their future well-being, struggle to vigorously
participate in their educational process).
The survey was given to 2000 students, of which 1445 students completed the survey.
The survey was taken during the school day and the process was supervised by the
classroom teacher. The results of the survey overwhelmingly confirmed Hall’s
assumptions and provided the data necessary to move his theory to the next stage of
development (survey results enclosed).
In 2012, a high school in the district agreed to offer the “Student Empowerment
Program,” as an elective course as part of their fall offerings. The program is currently
being administered by a certified teacher and students receive a credit toward
graduation upon successfully completing the course. The course uses social studies
core standards.
The project was funded in-part by Susie Buffet and the Sherwood Foundation, The Weitz
Foundation, Omaha Public Schools and the Omaha Community Foundation.

5. The Data
According to an ad placed by the Wall Street Journal, “Information is the new currency,” (December 1,
2011, Wall Street Journal). In this era, information is a marketable commodity, yet many students don’t
connect information with money.
% Agree % I don’t know % Disagree
Money comes from information 35 43 22
I seek out information on my own 44 37 19
I know how to turn information into money 33 41 26
Money comes from information I seek out information on my own I know how to turn information into
money
Strongly Strongly Strongly Strongly
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Agree Disagree Agree
Agree Disagree
7% 10% 6% 12%
15% 10%
Disagree
Disagree
13%
15%
Disagree Agree
Agree 16%
25% Agree 21%
Don't
Don't 29% Don’t
Know
Know Know
37%
43% 41%

6. Students aren’t alone is their challenge to connect information with future finances. Is it possible for an
English teacher to help a student connect English to money? When the subject of English is viewed as a
course, the challenge can be great, but when English is broken down to words and information, those
bytes of information can be shown to be of great value. English represents “Conversational and literary
Currency,” valuable commodities to anyone seeking advancement.
% Agree % I don’t know % Disagree
My teachers help me connect information to money 32 43 25
My school environment teaches me how to connect
32 41 27
information to money
The adults in my life teach me how to use education
54 26 20
to make money
The adults in my life use education to make money 45 34 21
My teachers help me connect My school environment teaches me
information to money how to connect information to money
Strongly Strongly Strongly
Strongly
Agree Disagree Agree
Disagree
10% 10% 12%
8%
Disagree Disagree
Agree Agree
17% 17%
22% 20%
Don't Don't
Know Know
43% 41%
The adults in my life teach me how to The adults in my life use education to
use education to make money make money
Strongly
Strongly Strongly
Disagree Strongly Disagree Agree
8% Agree 9% 18%
Disagree 22%
12% Disagree
12%
Don't
Know Agree Don't Agree
26% 32% Know 27%
34%

7. Despite the enormous amount of positive stimuli students receive verbally about education and their
future well-being, ample information to the contrary appears to be making as great or a greater
impression on many students. An important amount of students don’t believe they need a quality
education to attract money.
% Agree % I don’t know % Disagree
I don’t need education to make money 23 22 55
I don’t connect school with money, so I don’t see
24 28 48
school work as important
I’m not going to use most of the information I learn
28 30 42
in school after I graduate
I don’t need education to make money I don’t connect school with money, so I I’m not going to use most of the
don’t see school work as important information I learn in school
Strongly Strongly after I graduate
Agree Agree Strongly
11% Strongly 8% Strongly Agree
Disagree Disagree 11%
21% Agree 18%
Agree 16%
Strongly 12% Agree
Disagree 17%
31% Don't
Disagree Know Don't Don't
Disagree Know Disagree
24% 22% Know
27% 28% 24%
30%

8. Many high school students are still experiencing significant peer pressure related to the subject of being
or acting smart. The appearance of being or acting educated is frowned upon in many student/peer
circles. Although the subject of “Dumbing down” is widely recognized and frequently discussed in
educational forums, an intentional remedy is yet to be implemented.
% Agree % I don’t know % Disagree
Speaking intelligently is frowned upon amongst
24 38 38
my friends
I’m embarrassed to be smart around my friends 24 18 58
I come to school to see my friends 55 25 20
Speaking intelligently is frowned upon I’m embarrassed to be smart around I come to school to see my friends
amongst my friends my friends
Strongly Strongly Strongly
Strongly
Agree Agree Disagree
Disagree
8% 10% 8%
18%
Disagree
Agree Strongly
Agree Strongly 12%
14% Agree
16% Disagree 27%
36% Don't Don't
Don't Know
Disagree Know Agree
Know Disagree 18% 25%
20% 38% 28%
22%
While an overwhelming amount of students agree they go to school to get an education (76%) and that
they go to school so they will one day obtain a diploma (73%), many of those same students do not see
education as a means to future finances (34%).
% Agree % I don’t know % Disagree
I come to school so I can get a good education 76 7 17
I come to school so I can one day get a diploma 73 12 15
Graduating from high school will help me attract money 66 18 16
I come to school so I can get a I come to school so I can, one Graduating from high school will
good education day, get a diploma help me attract more money
Strongly Strongly Strongly
Disagree Disagree Disagree
11% 9% Disagree 8%
Disagree
Disagree 8%
6%
6%
Don't
Know Don't Strongly
Strongly Know Strongly Don't Agree
7% Agree Know
Agree 12% Agree 37%
Agree 53% 21% 52% 18%
23% Agree
29%

9. Proposition
The data results suggest a significant number of students do not connect education and the acquisition
of information to their future financial well-being. The current system of education simply has not
caught up with the current era, from which our students function. While education is bundled in
courses, and units, the world of the modern day student is comprised of bytes of information.
Students recognize how information equals money when shown examples of Facebook billionaire, Mark
Zuckerberg, but left to answer the question, “Money comes from information” few, independently,
make the connection. Thus, in many instances kids overlook the education process, deeming it a ritual of
courses, instead of looking deeper into each unit and recognizing the monetary value inherent in
mastering information.
The fact so many Americans find themselves in financial disarray may be attributed to an early
misunderstanding of how education and the acquisition of information factor into the attraction of
wealth. While information is tangible and used in every form of commerce and business, few surveyed
understood the connection.
True reform should consider the aforementioned disconnect and seek to incorporate strategies that aid
students in connecting education and the acquisition of information to future finances. Academic
constructs designed to helps students, parents and teachers quantify information should be put in place
to counter negative images and advance the true educational idea.
Continued research, observation and introduction of information, can assist in determining the positive
impact corrective information has on students, and their ability to achieve. By introducing information
that impacts critical thinking/problem solving in the area of connecting education and the acquisition of
information to future finances, we can then measure its effect on the achievement gap.
For more information about the survey or how you and your district can participate, contact Wes Hall at
whall8882@aol.com or contact the Institute at 402-612-3944.

10. Since 2007 – 2012 we partnered with
Omaha Public Schools and helped
student transform from potential
dropouts to high school graduates

11. Helping disengaged students make the
connection