FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica Media Contact
Brynja Seagren, CEO
310.361.8500 x207
LOCAL BOYS & GIRLS CLUB MEMBERS LEARN FOUNDATIONAL PERSONAL FINANCE CONCEPTS STARTING IN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL
At Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica, members participate in age-appropriate financial literacy programs in elementary, middle, and high school.
Santa Monica, Calif., – California’s new personal finance graduation requirement is making headlines, but at Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica, financial literacy has long been part of the program.
Starting in elementary school, Club members take part in age-appropriate financial literacy programs that build a foundation for a secure financial future. Historically, personal finance has not been part of curriculum in schools, and it is not often taught at home. Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica has been filling the gap for hundreds of kids each year with comprehensive personal finance programs.
“We have invested in high-quality personal finance programs as an organization and are always looking to expand our partnerships to provide this skill to even more kids,” says Brynja Seagren, CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica. “Knowledge of money management—from using scholarships to pay for college, to budgeting, to understanding credit card interest rates—is foundational for our kids on their paths to their great futures. We are pleased that the state of California is acknowledging the importance of this knowledge.”
At the Club, elementary schoolers start with curriculum that helps kids connect financial decisions to their real-world impacts. Through the program, a partnership with JA BizTown, members visit a simulated town where they operate banks, manage businesses, balance checkbooks, and even vote. This fun event builds the foundation of financial readiness in young kids.
Then, in middle school, they learn more about money as a tool for reaching their future goals through Money Matters. This comprehensive program covers essential topics like budgeting, investing, financial goal setting, practical habits and strategies for saving, creating a financial savings net, and planning for a secure future. They put what they learn into practice by earning Club Bucks, which they can save and spend at the Club Bucks Store.
High schoolers build on their money management knowledge to learn more about investing and entrepreneurship through real-world simulations. Through hands on activities, they practice good financial habits that prepare them to succeed in life after high school, no matter what their plans are.
At every age, Club members are building habits to prepare them for financial independence. They graduate high school armed with the financial tools they need to confidently take their next steps into their big futures.
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About Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica
For 80 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of Santa Monica has been a community-based organization where kids find a safe space during the critical time spent outside of school to become inspired, build relationships, and learn how big a role they play in their community and their future. Our aspirations for young people focus on workforce readiness, healthy lifestyles, and character & leadership.
