Personal Finance Classes at Roberts Vaux High School

In an example of community involvement with education, the Brewerytown / Sharswood Community Civic Association has sponsored personal finance instruction in the Roberts Vaux High School. Telestrat Education, a local firm that offers continuing legal education classes, primarily in accounting and finance, donated their time, to do initial instruction and to train classroom teachers to continue the effort. Telestrat founder Reuben Advani said, "Most people agree that a widespread lack of financial understanding contributed to the recent financial crisis. An overriding lesson from the crisis is that personal finance education must begin at an early age. It ranks as high as reading, writing and arithmetic. This program lays the foundation to inspire and influence America's youth to take control of their financial future."

The classes, taught to Juniors and Seniors, have been well received by the faculty and students. "Our students have not only excelled academically through this program, but learned real world finance skills that will be useful throughout their lives,” says Margie Goodwin, School Based Instructional Specialist.

“We are always looking for ways as a community to help our youth and schools. Financial literacy has been a goal of mine for awhile,” said Adam Lang, Chairman of the BSCCA Business and Economics Committee. “When by chance I met Reuben at a government budgeting forum, I knew this was the guy to help our goal come to fruition.”

The pilot lasted for three months. There are plans for future courses which will expand on the material as well as offer a real world investing game for the students to compete with each other individually and as a group against other classes.