| On the day that Apple Computers introduced their innovative iPhone to the world, members of the Youth Power Academy of Finance, sponsored by Asset Builders of America, had their eyes on Apple. For two weeks last June, eight young entrepreneurs attended the Youth Power Academy at Edgewood College to learn about personal finance. And while they were learning how to set their sights on the world of stocks and bonds, they were also learning to set their sights on college and what it takes to get there. Al Toon, the keynote speaker at the Academy's commencement on June 29, knows something about setting your sights on a goal and achieving them. Toon, former UW Badger and New York Jets football player and now a successful Madison businessman, succeeded, in many ways through the values that he learned from his coaches and others. "When I was a senior in high school, my high school coach, Charlie Reddicomb, brought me up to his desk and wrote down this word on a sheet of paper," Toon recalled. "I kept it with me until I was a junior in college when I lost my wallet. He wrote the word 'credibility' and it meant a lot to me. It began a thought process about who I am, what I need to be, where I wanted to go and what I wanted people to think of me." And Toon wanted to be looked upon as a man of character. "Your character stands with you," Toon emphasized. "It stands around you. It's what people experience when they meet you. It's what people experience when they talk about you. It is something that totally engulfs who you are. Your credibility and character are some of the most important if not the most important things about an individual." Along with character and credibility, other factors come into play. "Self-motivation, respect , dedication and being able to deal with the positives and negatives that go along with life all help you benefit as an individual, help you have a lot of confidence moving into a field that you don't necessarily understand or have had experience in," Toon said. "Yes, they have made a positive impact on who I am and where I am today. The most important point I wanted to make to the kids today is that life is dynamic. Life always changes. However, if you remain a good person and do the right thing and make the right choices, generally speaking, things will happen that will help make you a successful person in society." And while one may possess all of these characteristics, they are not enough. While Toon was a highly successful professional athlete, it was education -- and lots of it -- that has allowed him to be competitive and successful for the long haul. "Young students need to think about whether they need to go to a four-year college and do they need to get a Master's degree," Toon said. "Education is so helpful on many different levels. One, you get exposed to different types of people. Second, you get more educated about the world and what is going on around you. And third, more specifically, you get exposed to what you may experience in your field of study or career later on." The participants received a big boost toward the road to success during the Youth Power Academy of Finance. Now they only need to take stock of their futures. |
| Asset Builders of America's Youth Power Academy of Finance Taking stock of finance By Jonathan Gramling |
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| Al Toon (center rear) and students of the Youth Power Academy of Finance |