Financial Literacy: Life on Your Own Terms
First Nations Development Institute received a grant from the Daniels Fund to support the Financial Literacy: Life on Your Own Terms curriculum project, which has been piloted with a group of high school students at Gallup Central High School in New Mexico. The purpose of the curriculum project was to institutionalize a culturally appropriate financial and investor education class for high school students. The classes addressed personal finance topics such as responsible use of a credit card, avoiding predatory lenders, understanding banking, car buying tips, safeguarding against identity theft and basic investing skills.
Students at Gallup Central High School Participate in National Financial Capability Challenge
At Gallup Central High School (GCHS), First Nations Development Institute piloted a financial literacy curriculum based on the Building Native Communities series. Working with the school’s principal, where more than 90 percent of students are Native American, First Nations received a grant from the Daniels Fund to offer an innovative financial literacy class to high school youth. After nine weeks of instruction, students in the “Financial Literacy: Life on Your Terms” class signed up to take the National Financial Capability Challenge.
The National Financial Capability Challenge was an effort to help high school students develop the knowledge and skills needed to take control of their financial futures. In 2010, high school students nationwide were invited to take a voluntary online exam to demonstrate and to assess their financial knowledge. Based on national results, three students from the GCHS class scored in the top 20th percentile and received certificates.
“I am really proud of my students and what they have accomplished in their classes,” stated GCHS instructor Arnold Blum.