To Dominique, learning good financial behaviors is all about “power.”
As a senior at Brown Deer High School, Dominique is getting multiple opportunities to gain that power from his class schedule and our Money Sense lessons. And with that power, he’s asking the big questions.
“What would a billionaire do with their money, with their bank accounts?” Dominique asked his Money Sense volunteer, Sue Chase.
The high school requires students to take personal finance lessons before graduation. As an enhancement to that coursework, Brown Deer educators like Lisa Albers partner with our programs and volunteers. (Chase is pictured at left, seated with students, with Albers in the background.)
Dominique recently opened a bank account to receive direct deposit from his job at a nearby Sendik’s, two moves influenced by Albers’s business education class as well as his family. When Money Sense lessons started with Chase a few weeks ago, Dominique started into more detailed questions on personal finance. With the word “power” written on the back of his Money Sense name tent – his response when asked to mark what financial education meant to him – Dominique asked about the FDIC, online banks and billionaires.
Chase, the SecureFutures volunteer, gave a high-level view on wealth, bank accounts and investing. But she segued the big-money dreams into concerns more directly facing seniors in the class, like finding a no-fee bank account.
“Don’t ever pay fees, because you don’t have to. It’s crushing when you have to pay money to access your own money,” she said.
Other aspects emphasized during the class were problems in using check cashing stores; different methods of payment employers may offer; and the emergence of online payment services like Venmo or Google Wallet. Albers said she invited SecureFutures to lead the lessons in her business education class because volunteers provide an additional voice for students that can hammer home personal finance topics.
“Learning these kinds of things can provide a lot of security and control over your life,” Albers said to the students.
If you are looking to bring expert volunteers into your high school – as an enhancement to financial literacy curriculum or other courses – discuss options with our Money Sense program manager, Rashidah Butler-Jackson: rashidah@securefutures.org or (414) 273-8101