Financial literacy is a struggle for people of all ages due to a lack of education. In America, 25% of teens say they have confidence in their personal financial knowledge, according to Zippia.com. Bellco Credit Union teamed up with Economic Literacy Colorado to educate high school students.
The partners created an educational activity book for high school students called “FUNancial $marts.” The activity book teaches teens how to manage money using real-world money situations such as the difference between needs and wants, credit and debit cards, factors to consider when making purchases, ways to comparison shop online, how to avoid money scams and much more.
“Developing smart money management habits now will help teens as they are making more of their own financial decisions,” said John Rivera, senior vice president and chief retail officer at Bellco Credit Union. “At this age, they will likely have their first part-time job, may be saving for a car, or have their first credit card. Ensuring that young people in our community have the critical life skills they need to succeed is a top priority for Bellco.
Bellco and ELC created an activity book for elementary school students in 2019 and for middle school students in 2021. All versions are available online.
Students can work with a trusted adult to work through situations and to make decisions that prepare them to handle financial and economic challenges in the future.
“Personal finance and fundamental economics are essential skills that every student will use throughout their life. We had great success with the K-5 and middle school versions of the ’FUNancial $marts‘ activity booklets and are excited for the new book geared toward high school students,” said Amy Sherman, president and CEO of ELC. “We encourage Coloradans to challenge themselves and their teens by increasing awareness and education around economics and financial literacy, knowledge that is key to achieving a lifetime of financial stability and economic understanding.”
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