ATLANTA–Students at Maynard Jackson High School recently ended their school day with a deeper knowledge of real-world finances following visit from Center Parc Credit Union’s development coordinator, Aneka Battle.
“Aneka really engaged students about the financial topics they’re going to need to deal with in the next few years,” said Andrea Stephens, a MJHS science teacher whose students attended the lecture. “We pride ourselves on molding well-rounded young adults at MJHS and financial wellness is such a huge part of becoming a healthy, well-adjusted adult.”
Unfortunately, many U.S. teens aren’t receiving a proper education that would help them grow into financially balanced adults, the credit union said, noting that according to a 2021 study by the financial wellness company Greenlight, 74% of teens don’t feel confident about their financial education. That same study found that 32% of teens can’t identify the difference between a credit card and a debit card and that 46% of teens can’t define 401(k).
As a credit union dedicated to the total well-being of the communities it serves, Center Parc said it works to combat statistics such as these through local financial education. Battle talked with MJHS students about a breadth of important topics including credit scores, savings plans, budgeting, goal setting and more.
Along the way, she paused to share personal anecdotes from her own journey with financial wellness.
“I thought it was important to let the students know that no one is born knowing how to handle credit or balance a budget – it’s something we all have to learn,” Battle said. “But at the same time I don’t want any teen to think financial wellness is unattainable or that it means they can’t have fun. Money is meant to be enjoyed; and being financially literate means getting the most enjoyment possible out of your funds.”