Financial Education

“You need to learn how to separate your wants from your needs”-Mr. Litoff
(Financial Education Teacher). This quote is important for all students to learn because
it teaches them how to control, save, and spend their money right. Statistics proves that
85% of foster youth don’t know how to handle their money after they get emancipated
or leave the system. We feel that more students should have a financial education before
they leave the system.

Our school needs to have more students educated on how to use money. If we
had an elective class that students could choose to teach them about finances, they would
learn how to spend, save, and control their money. We would need funding for this to pay
for the costs of a new class with maybe some technology such as computers to help the
students learn. We would also need materials and school supplies to make our classroom
a better environment where kids can learn. Students need to learn about how to handle
money because when they graduate from high school and go on their own they need to
know how to control and be safe with their money.

This funding for our school would give a personal impact because we feel like it
would be an interesting topic to learn about and learning to control money is important to
teenagers who are becoming adults. It would help us when we have to go out on our own
and learn how to use money. This prize money would help many students in the need
for financial education. It would help us learn many things about money spending most
people don’t know about. This funding would be extremely important.

One way teenagers can learn about money at our school is by the one man who
gives individual lessons and helps students open a bank account. This is the closest thing
we have to getting financial education on our campus. It would be good to incorporate
these learning skills in to a class to help many other students learn about it in a school
environment, and give the opportunity to many students at a time.

This program will have an impact on our school by helping students prepare for
adulthood and it will also give the students an opportunity to earn school credits and learn
about business. By having this program in our school it will give the students different
options for elective classes. It will also help students and enhance their knowledge
not only about money but also about banks, businesses, and any other money related
companies such as stock trading and investment firms.

Financial Education is important and should be taught to students to prepare them
for a business career and their future with money. Our school needs to enhance its
student’s knowledge and teach them more what it’s like to handle and be in control of
their money. This prize would be helpful to our school and will open doors for many
foster youth.

I wrote this essay with Amy C. We wrote it for the KNSD Homeroom Reform Essay Contest http://www.nbcsandiego.com/brchannel/103556549.html.