Financial literacy is a crucial life skill that educates students on managing their finances properly. Financial literacy is a wise investment into students’ futures, and it ensures that students make knowledgeable financial commitments as they evolve into young adults. This course is essential to survive in the real world, so why isn’t it taught in most high schools?

   Although financial literacy possesses numerous benefits for high schoolers, many disregard it as an essential skill. For one, financial literacy isn’t seen as a traditional school course. Academic subjects such as math or English are usually prioritized because they are evaluated on college standardized tests. While most high school students treat getting into college as their ultimate goal, they don’t realize that college is just the beginning of adulthood.

   Financial literacy would be a great addition to Pinewood — it is an indispensable skill that every student should possess for any career path. Financial literacy is not only essential for accumulating wealth but also for maintaining it. Even if students amass wealth through hard work and previous academic knowledge, they could lose it all because of one poor financial decision. Furthermore, implementing financial literacy at Pinewood would help cultivate a culture of financial responsibility and independence among students. Rather than encountering avoidable mistakes as adults, a financial literacy course guides students to make informed decisions with their money earlier. Additionally, teaching financial literacy at Pinewood will reduce the stress students experience when they leave high school and start to manage their money independently.

   Although Pinewood does currently offer an optional economics course, it does not encompass the same concepts that a financial literacy course would. While economics is a great course that teaches us how the market works, financial literacy is necessary for us to learn how to budget and save our money. Financial literacy teaches us to create a balance between our needs and desires so that we can incorporate our knowledge into our adulthood.

   Even if implementing an entire course on financial literacy may not be feasible, there are other ways to educate students on this concept. For instance, Pinewood could organize workshops, allocate time during community days or integrate financial literacy into Pinewood’s speaker series.

   Financial literacy aligns with Pinewood’s mission to develop well-rounded individuals and critical thinkers that thrive beyond their college years. As long as we don’t overwhelm students with the workload, financial literacy would be a great course to integrate into our curriculum.