A summer project turned into a life lesson as Clarkston youth players invested their time in a virtual financial literacy course. Financial Center Manager at Bank of America, Chiquita Jenkins, led the youth players through the extensive Better Money Habits® program. This course was especially important as soccer came to a standstill during the pandemic, these players were able to turn their focus on to other at-home activities.
The curriculum was six weeks long and the players worked diligently each week on different topics. The financial literacy Better Money Habits® program for High School students helps them learn the basics of banking, how to manage money including wants versus needs, outlining the role that credit plays, and the importance of protecting your financial information through various resources. The presentations consisted of slides, videos, and examples.
Each week a new financial topic was introduced and discussed that included real-life examples and problems. The goal was to ensure that each student player grasped the financial concept and understood how it could be applied in their daily dealings.
“They were able to learn not only about Financial Literacy but also how to apply it and share what was learned with others. The program engagement allowed them to work through problems and test their financial abilities,” said Jenkins. “The program introduced them to a wide range of financial concepts such as an introduction to managing credit, how to manage money, simple credit versus compound credit, making good choices to help you save, etc.”
She also commented - “I really enjoyed leading the program with the youth players and truly learned a lot from them as well,” said Jenkins. “There were two youths; Mugisas and Kennedy that attended every session and financially blossomed before our eyes. We are so proud of the youth participants and all the hard work that they put in.”
We are proud to offer this program to the kids as they might not normally get the same types of programs in their schools. It is important to keep the youth players engaged during the summer when they have more free time and we also feel this program worked greatly to their advantage.
“I am thankful to have the opportunity to learn from the curriculum”, said Clarkston U18 Boys Youth Player, Mugisas. “I will use this information in the future when I open my own bank account and learn how to adjust my budget the right way.”
Clarkston Program Manager, Toussaint McClure, has seen first hand how these youth players have been working diligently on their soccer and financial literacy skills.
“It is important to connect with the kids both on and off the field. The off the field lessons they learn through SITS are more important to their future than the on the field skills because soccer does not last forever”, said McClure. “It was nice to see Kennedy and Mugisa’s progression each week as they began to understand how they can use the lessons from the course in real life.”
He also commented- “The values and life skills the kids learn while in the SITS program is what makes the program unique. SITS provided them with their first lesson on financial literacy which will make them more well rounded as a person. I do not think they would have learned about financial literacy if SITS had not provided them the opportunity to take the course and I am confident that they will continue to seek more knowledge and spread the word to their friends and families in the Clarkston community.”
As a continuous partner Bank of America has worked with our youth players on various training courses throughout the years giving our kids the opportunity to learn and grown. We are thankful to keep working together as we impact the lives of youth in metro Atlanta.