PORTLAND — The Institute for Financial Literacy has announced that 42 Maine teachers have been certified in the 2009 class of Maine Teachers Take FLITE (Financial Literacy Instructional Techniques for Educators), a training program for kindergarten through grade 12 teachers.

“The teachers who completed the 2009 session of Maine Teachers Take FLITE worked proactively to gain the knowledge they need to effectively teach financial literacy concepts in their classrooms,” said Leslie Linfield, executive director and founder of the Institute for Financial Literacy. “These teachers have shown remarkable dedication to their communities by working to ensure that their students have a solid foundation for making smart financial decisions throughout their lives.”

The local 2009 certified FLITE teachers are:

Anne Archambault, Maranacook Community High School; Amanda Boyce, Winthrop High School; Carlo Bufano, Jobs for Maine’s Graduates; Gordon A. Crosby, Poland Regional High School; Linda Davis, Jay High School; Catherine Demchur-Merry, Poland Regional High School; Cardine Emmerson, Maranacook Community High School;

Also, Kristy Ferran, Gardiner Area High School; Jim Ford, Oak Hill High School; Darren Hartley, Lewiston Regional Technical Center; Tracy Johnson, Gardiner Area High School; Patricia Morris, Maranacook Community High School; Jessica Norton, Gardiner Area High School; Cynthia Paradis, Jay High School; and Cynthia Streznewski, Maranacook Community High School.

A program of the Institute for Financial Literacy, Maine Teachers Take FLITE enrolls teachers in the Certified Educator in Personal Finance® program, a professional certification and training program developed to improve the knowledge and expertise of financial literacy educators.

The program focuses on teachers’ professional development and increasing their confidence in their own ability to teach students about personal finance. This approach provides teachers with the tools they need to teach financial literacy effectively in the classroom.

For more information about the institute and its programs, contact 221-3663 or visit www.FinancialLit.org.