Should Achievement First High School Offer Financial Literacy Classes ?!

Jada Wyatt

Achievement First High School currently has a flood of academic courses mandatory for scholars to take such as algebra,geometry,seminar and ect. However currently, there is no financial literacy class available for the students of Achievement First Hartford High School. These high school students are on their way to college and future careers that require a lot of real life skills along with academic skills. 

 

    These scholars are dreaming to be in all sorts of different careers and it is the college prep school’s duty to set them up for success. Financial knowledge and skills are crucial for life whether they are working at Mcdonalds or running a business. Senior Yannive Coley at Achievement First says, “I  want to own and run a business and to do that you have to learn about finances and how to manage finances. Yes math is important but there’s other classes that give a better run down on that, also having a business course in high school would really help me”

 

     “40.2% of those with low levels of financial literacy relied on parents, friends, and acquaintances as their most important source of financial knowledge, compared to 20.8% of those with the highest levels of financial literacy.” (National Bureau of Economic Research). Young adults like these students at Achievement First would benefit from early financial knowledge in the future when transitioning to college and jobs.

 

     “Financial literacy classes teach students the basics of money management: budgeting, saving, debt, investing, giving and more. That knowledge lays a foundation for students to build strong money habits early on and avoid many of the mistakes that lead to lifelong money struggles.”(Ramsey Solutions on Financial Literacy) Teenagers developing money management habits would set them up for success going from a high school student to a college student to an adult facing the daily circumstances of financial hardships.

 

     Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D, a  psychologist in private counseling and public lecturing practice says that, “For most young adults, it takes a while to get up to adult-operating speed after the last phase of adolescence (Trial Independence, 18 – 23) because self-management demands dramatically increase when functional independence is actually assumed.”(Psychology Today on Young Adulthood) Not only will students be set up for success financially but mentally, they will be less stressed about becoming an adult and living in the real world.

    These students also need to know the basic skills that require everyday adulthood qualities when it comes down to the simple financial aspects of life. Another senior at Achievement First Keyanna Powell expresses her take on the matter, “ I want to know how to pay bills,pay taxes,and not have to go into the world without knowing a thing.This highschool really is setting us up to fail because they’re not giving us the proper resources we need to be successful in life.” Powell expresses concerns about going head first into the world as an adult without financial knowledge. 

     Ultimately, Achievement First Hartford High School should act in the best interest of its students and add a financial literacy course to set up their students for success mentally and financially for the first foundation of the layers of adulthood.