By Nichole Smith
The Middle School social studies department at Montverde Academy incorporates financial literacy into their curriculum. Ms. Courtney Williams, a sixth-grade social studies teacher at Montverde Academy, has spearheaded a program she calls Financial Fridays where she takes a deep dive into practical financial topics that are relevant to her students.
On Friday, November 10, she discussed the ins and outs of what a credit score is and how to establish and maintain good credit. Students learned the importance of avoiding late payments, keeping debt low, maintaining a long history of good credit, and avoiding opening too many new lines of credit.
Students played a Gimkit game to review the information, and at the end of the period they participated in an activity where they had to determine how different pieces of credit information are categorized in a credit report.
“I enjoy Financial Fridays because I like learning about money, how to pay off bills, and how to make your payments on time,” said Philip Tanis, a sixth-grade student in Mrs. Williams’ class. “I also like how we are learning to handle our finances and credit scores for the future.”
“I believe that building the foundation for financial literacy at an early age is crucial for a healthy relationship with finances later in life,” said Ms. Williams. “Even to adults, financial concepts can seem shrouded in mystery and intimidating to navigate. Simplifying concepts such as Roth IRAs, index funds, paying taxes, and credit scores makes it less intimidating to delve into as they grow into independent adults. My goal is to plant the seeds now so that they will feel confident and well-equipped to advocate for their own financial well-being in the years to come.”
