• Math teachers won’t like to hear this…(from Worcester Telegram):

“I think this should have been in the school a long time ago. Financial literacy is way more important than algebra, to be honest,” added senior Jennifer Urena, 18. “I don’t see myself using pre-calc or algebra, but if we need to learn about how loans work, and debt and all that, we don’t learn it.”

• Students at Weymouth High School (MA) faced their financial futures at a recent workshop (Patriot Ledger):

Business-savvy students from Weymouth High School crowded into the Elks lodge in Weymouth on Thursday for what senior Jacob Williams called a financial “reality check.”One hundred and 10 upperclassmen were asked to face their financial futures head on and wrap their minds around complex concepts like credit, borrowing and saving for retirement.“We are here to learn what real life will be like after high school, and about bills, taxes, savings and how to be responsible and make good decisions with money,” Weymouth High senior Jessica Disalvio, 19, said.

• Chicago to be named model for financial education..this will be one to watch as they are trying to coordinate financial literacy activities across the city..an arduous task to say the least (Chicago Tribune):

On Thursday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will dub Chicago the first “model city” for financial education, teaching money skills to kids in school and adults through community programs.  The “model city” designation honors Chicago’s commitment to a proposed citywide program for addressing financial education on topics such as household budgeting, debt, credit and retirement saving and investing.

• Over 300 students from Montville High (CT) and surrounding schools learned money management basics at a recent workshop (WTNH):

Montville High sophomore Nik Strickland pulls in a paycheck as a youth soccer referee, and his parents blow the whistle on any overspending.  “Half my money goes right into my account for whatever I want and half goes into my wallet to spend, so I really kind of save,” he said.

Soon enough, saving for college or buying a home will become their reality.  “Their credit score really doesn’t kick into place until they’re about 18-and-a-half, but what they do now really does affect them from here on out,” said Chris Zyrlis, who teaches personal finance at Montville High.

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.