Money!!!Money!!!Money!!! This simple word is literally the most important function of a capitalistic society but taught the least in our public school systems nationwide. According to CNBC , a survey conducted by the Council for Economic Education found that since 2014, only 17 states require that high school students take a person finance course.
In defense of public school systems, many states do offer personal finance courses in their school systems, although they aren’t a requirement in most curriculum’s. A study from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority’s Investor Education Foundation suggests that young people, ages 18-22, maintain better credit scores and have lower rates of debt delinquency in states that require the most vigorous financial literacy courses for high school students.
The job of educators is to prepare young people for the world they will face as adults. Typically, personal finance courses in elementary, middle and high school consist of how to open a bank account and checkbook balancing.
That’s a great start but young people need to learn about managing financial aid, healthy spending, credit scores, responsible credit card usage, debt-to-income ratios and financially sound career choices. Without those skills, they are walking out on the battlefield with very little armour.
After recognizing the inadequate financial literacy curriculum in Kentucky’s, Jefferson County Public Schools – Louisville accountant Raricka Claycomb started “Claycomb ACCademy in August 2016, which offers FREE financial literacy workshops for teens and adults.
“Our mission is to help youth and adults create their financial future one goal at a time… The main focus is teenagers because they’re getting their first check and we want them to understand what is going on in their paycheck… What’s the difference between a gross and a net and what all this stuff that’s coming out of my check… But also to teach them how to live within their means because we have a lot of adults nowadays that still haven’t gotten that concept.”
Claycomb ACCademy is scheduled to have its next adult workshop at First Baptist Church of J-Town on Sept 9, 2017. The next Middle school workshop will be held on August 26, 2017 at Ramsey Middle School.
To register for workshops or for more information, access Claycomb Accademy at http://claycombaccountingandtax.com/claycomb-accademy-of-financial-literacy/
Raricka Claycomb interview about Claycomb ACCademy on “Urban Voices” Radio begins at 30:27
https://soundcloud.com/chradio/brad-harrison-presents-urban-voices-20170624?in=brad-harrison-991958923/sets/june-2017
Brad Harrison is a journalist/motivational speaker/entrepreneur and on-air personality. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications with cum laude honors from the University of Louisville. In October 2015, he started UrbanMaxx Magazine to provide positive role models for Urban residents that reside in at-risk-communities and lack positive leadership in their lives.
For booking or advertising – contact Brad Harrison at bradharrison@urbanmaxx.com