Guide the Youth! TEACH/SHOW them what was not shared with you!

As a young girl I don't believe I had the opportunity to have volunteers come into my class to talk about Financial Literacy. I found it GREAT that The Junior Achievement organization helps to educate students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy. The program has been around for years and it allows volunteers from the community to come into the class and deliver JA curriculum while the volunteer uses their own person experiences as examples. I know you think that's a GREAT idea because what better way to reach the youth than to share your own experience!!

Well on March 30, 2011 myself and my co-worker Lara Belle volunteered for JA, we were to teach a class of 8th graders Financial Literacy. We walked into a class of VIBRANT (but not yet so excited..because it was still early am) kids. Standing there infront of a class about to express out thoughts on what it meant to be thoughtful about the actions you make today and how they can effect your tomorrow was an experience for both of us. Lara & I taught lessons on knowing what your values, interests and skills are, the benefits of continuing school vs entering the job force, budgeting and credit (good, bad and FICO scores). The students were BLOWN away at the hands on activities in which we played. The games showed them how financial decisions aren't as easy as they believe them to be. We shared our credit history with them, our current roles at our jobs and what we like to do on our spare time (Lara - singer, Myself- writer & motivational speaker). The students had BIG PLANS for themselves many of them want to live a lavish life. We advised them those lifestyles can be acheieved but you have to work for them they don't just HAPPEN. I went further just to ask them did they have VISION BOARDS and some had no idea what that was (I got them a homework assignment....sorry kids! lol). The purpose of them needing that was so that they could see where they want to be next year and to look back to see if they've achieved that goal. The session was full of energy and the kids really came away with knowing more about not only themselves and their future actions but they've also learned about their classmates and their talents. KUDOS to JA for such a LIFE CHANGING service!!


Special thanks to the students teacher Ms. Calendar. She was AWESOME and provided some great input as we taught each lesson.

In this economy today we can all use a touch up on some part of our financial savviness whether it's knowing more about credit, saving or budgeting. There's help out here for each one to learn so do share your story. Some of us are back in the job market trying to figure out what the next job will be. I suggest list your skills, interest and values, with knowing those things you'll know if you should enter a people, data, things or ideas field of work.




~You can sit silently and do nothing or speak up when you know something...each one teach one~

*Ms. Bank$*