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Sunny Wins the 2022 NFEC Award!

Sunny Istar Lee the 2022 Financial Education Instructor of the Year

 

The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) is pleased to announce that Sunny Istar Lee has been chosen to receive the 2022 Financial Education Instructor of the Year (FEIY) Award. Sunny is CEO of Good Life Advisors in Los Angeles, CA and founder of Money Master Kids (MMK), a nonprofit that teaches financial life skills to children and youth worldwide.

The FEIY Award is designed to offer recognition to a single person who has made exceptional contributions to the financial wellness movement in the previous year. The NFEC founded the award based on its research-based understanding that educators are the single most powerful influence on learners’ success. Sunny Istar Lee was selected in 2022 due to her significant contributions to the three pillars of financial wellness: education, awareness, and sustainability.

EDUCATION 

Through Money Master Kids, Sunny Istar Lee has been responsible for educating over 100,000 children and families around the globe about money mastery and financial health. More than 1,500 students (young children and teens) have successfully graduated from the MMK online resources. In earlier efforts, Lee helped teach financial wellness to over 2,000 underprivileged youth in the LA area. For that accomplishment, she received the Rainbow Youth Leadership Award from the Rotary Club.

Sunny is also the author of multiple books including Is Your Child a Money Master or a Money Monster?: Seven Habits of Highly Motivated Kids for Financial Success, published by Twin Sprouts Publishing in 2016.

AWARENESS

Lee raises awareness about the importance of teaching kids financial life skills early by presenting these concepts at conventions, workshops, and seminars. In 2017, she was invited to speak to more than 14,000 global members of the Million Dollar Round Table (MDRT) at the group’s annual event. This engagement opened doors for her to begin collaboration with like-minded advisors around the world. Sunny’s ultimate goal is for MMK to reach 1 billion children worldwide with financial life skills training.

SUSTAINABILITY 

MMK continues to collaborate with like-minded influencers including financial and insurance advisors and individuals who are committed to children’s overall financial well-being. Lee’s broad outreach has built a sustainable platform upon which to build and grow the nonprofit organization, which now has volunteers across 12 countries including the U.S, China, Mexico, Greece, and France.

ABOUT SUNNY

“I grew up in a small village in South Korea as the youngest of four children. Watching my parents scrimp to just barely meet our basic needs, I decided early on that I would become financially independent as soon as possible. So, at age 7, I began doing chores at home to earn money and saved every penny. When I was in my mid-twenties, my oldest brother – a father of two young daughters – passed away, leaving nothing behind for his family, which led them into extreme financial devastation. That tragic event motivated me to start my financial business to help people prepare for better financial futures.” “As a young child, I often thought that when I became a mother, I would help my kids learn about money early. This aspiration came true when I became mother to my two twin boys Jason and Matthew, now 17. Over the years, I have taught my boys the Seven Habit System I developed for them, and now they have grown to be financially savvy and responsible teenagers. I knew that if this system worked for them, it would work for other kids as well. I thought it would be nice to share this concept and step-by-step process with other parents and families around the world.” “I believe all children in this world are like stars destined to shine brightly in every aspect of their lives, including financial aspects. Our greatest mission as parents is to equip our children for the world. Teaching our children to manage their money is one of the greatest gifts we can give them.”

QUOTES

I am delighted to accept the Financial Education Instructor of the Year Award. Parents work hard to provide their children with the finest and best things, but the majority of these children do not know how to manage money. A well-known statistic says that a staggering 70% of wealthy families lose their wealth by the next generation. Therefore, I suggest teaching instead of giving. Children can never take charge of their financial lives unless they are taught. Teaching is an active form of love, and financial life skills and money management is one of the most important skills to teach our children. Thank you for this award. It is an honor to be recognized. –Sunny Istar Lee, Founder of Money Master Kids

“Choosing Sunny Istar Lee to receive this year’s Financial Education Instructor of the Year Award is a well-deserved honor. Children are our most precious resource, and empowering them with financial wellness skills is one of the most effective ways to secure their futures and the futures of generations to come. Sunny has made huge strides toward this goal. We are proud to acknowledge her contributions to the financial wellness movement by presenting this award.”-Vince Shorb, CEO of the NFEC

The National Financial Educators Council (NFEC) announced that Sunny Istar Lee has been chosen to receive the 2022 Financial Education Instructor of the Year (FEIY) Award.  Read the full article here.