My Classroom is a short NGPF podcast series devoted to supporting the efforts of teachers. This is the first of a two-part series: When Students Lead. We are giving a handful of students the microphone to tell us what they enjoyed the most about a personal finance class, and what lessons were most important. 

These students will also inspire you to take your personal finance class to the next level. They are working so hard to advocate for every high school student in their state to be guaranteed to take a personal finance class before graduating. You can do the same by utilizing NGPF’s Gold Standard Challenge Grant Program which incentivizes high schools and districts to commit to ALL students taking personal finance courses before graduation. Learn more, and apply for your $2,500 to $30,000 Gold Standard Challenge Grant today at ngpf.org/goldstandardchallenge. 

This week we are speaking with Sean Furbush, Saloni Jain, and Nate Grant. All three have advocated through the media or by providing proponent testimony supporting the advancement of financial literacy in their states. 

• Sean Furbush is a rising Senior at Billerica Memorial High School and will be attending the University of Massachusetts Lowell for the Fall of 2022. Sean has worked among several organizations dedicated to improving student welfare and believes that financial literacy provides students with the opportunity to live meaningfully and happily.
• Saloni Jain is a rising Senior at East Greenwich High School and was an NGPF Fellows Personal Finance Student of the Year Award Recipient in 2020-2021 for Dr. Patricia Page. Saloni believes that taking a personal finance class is an invaluable experience-- it equips students with real-world skills to make successful financial decisions in the future.
• Nate Grant recently graduated from Reading High School where he was the valedictorian. He is currently in his second year studying public policy/pre-law at The Ohio State University. Nate has advocated with lawmakers and provided proponent testimony in support of a semester-long personal finance guarantee for every Ohio student. 

Each week we will speak with different teachers who will share timely tips, resources, and teaching strategies that can be implemented immediately into the classroom. Click here to subscribe to our blog and receive each podcast, as well as our Questions of the Day, FinCap Friday, Interactive Wednesdays, and much more.

About the Authors

Brian Page

Making a difference in the lives of students through financial capability is Brian’s greatest passion. He comes to NGPF after fifteen years of public school teaching where he was the ‘11 Ohio Department of Education recipient of a Milken National Educator Award, the CEE Forbes Award winner, and a Money Magazine/CNN "Money Hero". He served on the working group for President Obama's Advisory Council on Financial Capability. He has private school experience as a Trustee for the Cincinnati Country Day School and was a past Ohio Jump$tart President. Brian holds a BBA and M.Ed. When Brian isn’t working alongside his NGPF teammates he is likely spending time with his wife, three children, and dog; hiking, or watching Ohio State football.

Amanda Volz

Amanda joins the NGPF Team with over 20 years of experience teaching personal finance. During that time, she led her students to hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships, won multiple awards, and most importantly, impacted the financial lives of thousands of high school students. Amanda prides herself on being an educational leader and is constantly looking for innovative ways to make the classroom relevant, rigorous, and fun. She is a passionate advocate for financial education and has been a long-time member of the NGPF community. Fun fact - Amanda was NGPF’s first teacher account! When Amanda isn’t working, she enjoys cooking, gardening, and traveling with her husband and two children.