Hi, I’m Dave Rasmussen, a Money Coach for SecureFutures. I’ve been teaching for two years now in the Money Coach program.

Unlike many coaches, I don’t have a financial background — I spent my career in manufacturing (38 years, retired in 2022). However, having a financial background or a degree in Finance is totally unnecessary with this program. The curriculum provided by SecureFutures is excellent and straightforward. You don’t have to be a financial expert to teach or be a one-on-one coach.

The lessons are quite basic as they should be for 17-year-old students. I call it, “Financial Tee Ball” because we are laying a simple foundation to build on for the future. Of course, there is preparation work before each lesson, but trust me, it’s relatively easy to master, even for a manufacturing guy ;). As a group coach, I teach five one-hour lessons. Only two of the five lessons are what you might consider traditional teaching with presentation slides. The other three lessons use online interactive techniques and games to reinforce basic financial concepts.

Along the way, I talk passionately about my own mistakes in dealing with money and how I (often painfully) corrected them. I remind the students that everyone to whom I tell I’m teaching financial literacy to high school students gives me a big fat AMEN because they have made their own painful money mistakes, and they hope I can steer some young minds in the right direction about money management. I encourage interaction in the classes by handing out “Money Tickets”– Monopoly money that acts as raffle tickets for a final drawing to win one of four $30 Amazon gift cards.

The final one-on-one session, where we do the drawing, is especially fun. I leave them with the mantra I repeat in every class: “Wherever there is money, there is someone trying to steal it.” I tell them this is just the beginning, and they should never stop learning about the world of money management, investments, insurance, and budgeting.

As a final word about being able to teach the curriculum, SecureFutures’ program staff provides whatever support and advice I need and attends some of my sessions to lend front-line support as well. I’m already looking forward to next semester. Consider joining me and potentially changing a young person’s life by giving them the financial foundation that most of us never had — and had to learn the hard way.

If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer like Dave and making an impact, reach out to Stephaine Crosley who can help you get started!