Academy Of Finance

Seventeen-year-old Valerie Buxton hopes to own her own restaurant some day. Rather than waiting until college to learn about running a business, Valerie is preparing for her future career as a Howard High School junior. She is one of about 80 county students who participate in the Academy of Finance (AOF). Several years ago, Howard High Principal Mary Day learned about the Academy of Finance and suggested that it be brought to local schools. The program, sponsored by the not-for-profit National Academy Foundation, seeks to prepare students for career success.

You know you're exceptional at managing money when your parents come to you to borrow an occasional $10 or $20 — and you're just 7 years old. Wilde Lake High School senior Taylor Bruner has long had been adept at money matters, and that has developed into an interest that may reap dividends not only after after high school, but also help her and three other like-minded students at Howard County's Applications and Research Lab win a state finance...

Sagar Gupta, a senior at River Hill High School who attends the Howard County schools' Academy of Finance, one of the career academies, is one of 20 students nationwide to be chosen for the Citigroup Academy of Finance Scholars program. In addition to the $20,000 scholarship (to be awarded over four years), Gupta, who will attend the University of California, Berkeley this fall as a business and economics major, will receive a paid, renewable summer internship after completing his freshman year at college at a Citigroup business.

The Howard County Public School System Academy of Finance has named its new board members: Shana Bolton , of Ascend One; Chris Gable , of Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; Alicia Kong , of ING Financial Partners; Janet Oursler , of HCTA Federal Credit Union; Fred Shaw , of JPBE Enterprises; and Mark Yarbrough , of M & T Bank. National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors-Carroll/Howard presented Roger Diehl , outgoing president, with a plaque and gavel at the Oct. 13 general membership meeting held at the Best Western Westminster Conference Center and thanked him for his leadership over the past year.

Jim Ryan, Edgewood SPORT LACROSSE BOYS STATS -- Ryan, a junior, has 10 goals, five assists and 35 ground balls as the starting attackman for the Rams. SIDELINES -- Ryan has a 3.96 grade point average and is ranked seventh in his class of 267 students. He belongs to the National and Spanish honor societies and the National Academy of Finance. He played guard and linebacker for the football team, which won the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference championship. He also was the punter and kicker on the team.

You don't have to be a financial genius to recognize that a $20,000 college scholarship is a good thing. But you do have to be a financial whiz to win the scholarship that River Hill High School senior Sagar Gupta has received - the Citigroup Academy of Finance Scholarship. Each year, 20 students from across the country win the scholarship. And for the past five years, one of those students has been from River Hill High School. That tradition is being continued this year by Gupta, who will use the money to offset the costs of attending the University of California, Berkeley, where he will major in economics and business.

River Hill's Garcia wins scholarship Leo Carelle Garcia, a senior at River Hill High School, is one of 20 students around the country to receive a Citigroup Academy of Finance Scholarship of $20,000, or $5,000 a year for four years, to be used for tuition, room, board and other educational expenses. In addition to receiving the award, Garcia will be paired with a Citigroup mentor and given a summer internship at one of Citigroup's subsidiary companies in the United States or abroad. As a student in the Academy of Finance, part of a national program of specialty classes, he has served as state president of DECA, a student organization focused on business and marketing.

Ambitious, focused and enamored of the business world, Danielle Curtis has worked with a large accounting firm, takes a college finance course at night and dreams of starting her own financial consulting firm.Time is definitely on Danielle's side -- she's only 17. She hasn't even graduated from Lake Clifton/Eastern High School yet. That works to Danielle's advantage because she belongs to a unique school program aimed at cranking out budding capitalists.Known as the Academy of Finance, it builds an early mastery of business basics.

Anticipation and excitement characterized the tone of numerous speakers at the kickoff of the Academy of Finance for Howard and River Hill high schools. Representatives from local businesses, Howard County government and the school system, the National Academy Foundation and students from both schools gathered Friday at Howard High in Ellicott City to meet and learn more about the academy. Howard Principal Mary Day offered business people "an opportunity to select, groom and hire your future work force."

Schools to be closed for meetings, holiday Carroll County public schools will be closed for students tomorrow for a parent conference day and Tuesday for a professional day for high schools and parent conferences for elementary and middle schools. Schools and offices will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. Information: 410-751-3020. Academy of Finance to hold orientation The Academy of Finance program will hold an orientation program for new academy students and their parents at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 in Westminster High School's second-floor auditorium.

River Hill's Garcia wins scholarship Leo Carelle Garcia, a senior at River Hill High School, is one of 20 students around the country to receive a Citigroup Academy of Finance Scholarship of $20,000, or $5,000 a year for four years, to be used for tuition, room, board and other educational expenses. In addition to receiving the award, Garcia will be paired with a Citigroup mentor and given a summer internship at one of Citigroup's subsidiary companies in the United States or abroad. As a student in the Academy of Finance, part of a national program of specialty classes, he has served as state president of DECA, a student organization focused on business and marketing.

You don't have to be a financial genius to recognize that a $20,000 college scholarship is a good thing. But you do have to be a financial whiz to win the scholarship that River Hill High School senior Sagar Gupta has received - the Citigroup Academy of Finance Scholarship. Each year, 20 students from across the country win the scholarship. And for the past five years, one of those students has been from River Hill High School. That tradition is being continued this year by Gupta, who will use the money to offset the costs of attending the University of California, Berkeley, where he will major in economics and business.

Jim Ryan, Edgewood SPORT LACROSSE BOYS STATS -- Ryan, a junior, has 10 goals, five assists and 35 ground balls as the starting attackman for the Rams. SIDELINES -- Ryan has a 3.96 grade point average and is ranked seventh in his class of 267 students. He belongs to the National and Spanish honor societies and the National Academy of Finance. He played guard and linebacker for the football team, which won the Upper Chesapeake Bay Athletic Conference championship. He also was the punter and kicker on the team.

Sagar Gupta, a senior at River Hill High School who attends the Howard County schools' Academy of Finance, one of the career academies, is one of 20 students nationwide to be chosen for the Citigroup Academy of Finance Scholars program. In addition to the $20,000 scholarship (to be awarded over four years), Gupta, who will attend the University of California, Berkeley this fall as a business and economics major, will receive a paid, renewable summer internship after completing his freshman year at college at a Citigroup business.

Schools to be closed for meetings, holiday Carroll County public schools will be closed for students tomorrow for a parent conference day and Tuesday for a professional day for high schools and parent conferences for elementary and middle schools. Schools and offices will be closed Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for Thanksgiving. Information: 410-751-3020. Academy of Finance to hold orientation The Academy of Finance program will hold an orientation program for new academy students and their parents at 7 p.m. Nov. 29 in Westminster High School's second-floor auditorium.

As he entered his second week of a summer internship with a local accounting firm, Christopher Rallo was already talking like a professional. "I was 19 cents off on a trial balance," said Rallo, 17, a rising senior at Century High in Eldersburg, recalling one of his first assignments with Sturgill & Associates, a downtown Westminster firm. A trial balance? "That's when you consolidate balance statements and make the adjustments," he said, looking to one of the firm's accountants for confirmation.

As he entered his second week of a summer internship with a local accounting firm, Christopher Rallo was already talking like a professional. "I was 19 cents off on a trial balance," said Rallo, 17, a rising senior at Century High in Eldersburg, recalling one of his first assignments with Sturgill & Associates, a downtown Westminster firm. A trial balance? "That's when you consolidate balance statements and make the adjustments," he said, looking to one of the firm's accountants for confirmation.