Students are expected to take on so many responsibilities as we get closer to adulthood. For some of us, that stage is approaching quickly.
As a senior approaching that point in life, I can say that there are many things that I do not know how to address correctly. One of the main issues I face is the topic of financial literacy.
Financial literacy is the knowledge and skills that are necessary in order to manage finances effectively. Having a strong understanding of financial literacy can help with informed decision making, building wealth, and overall financial stability.
In the article “Tools for Teaching Financial Literacy,” published by neaToday, the author states, “Only about half of the nation’s schools require a financial literacy course.” Which shows that many people overlook the importance of financial literacy and its surrounding topics.
It would be greatly beneficial for seniors in high school to have a mandatory financial literacy class.
You may think that it is a bad idea at first, because who wants to be forced to take a boring class? But, how much do teenagers really know about Credit and Debt? How confident do most
people feel when it comes to doing taxes? Would the average student be able to explain insurance to a friend?
I would bet most Collegiate Academy students are not on that level; myself included.
As we become young adults, we will be thrown into a world of financial independence. That new territory comes with many decisions. Whether you have adults in your life to help or not, wouldn’t it be much easier to come out of school with basic knowledge of finance?
Senior Hannah Nicklas says, “It is hard for us to figure that out on our own so it would be nice to have a class on financial literacy.” In addition she also says, “A lot of us will head to college or start working soon, and it feels overwhelming not knowing how to handle these responsibilities.”
Senior Aleah Warshuis says, “If we had a class dedicated to financial literacy, it would give us real life skills that we could actually use right away… I think it would make students more confident and better prepared for the future.”
If schools truly want to set students up for success, financial literacy should be a required course everywhere. This is not just another subject, it’s a life skill. It certainly would be more useful than calculus.