In today’s complex and fast-paced world, I believe that high school students entering adulthood are faced with even greater challenges, one of the most significant being financial literacy.
I think it is crucial to include a class solely about financial literacy as a requirement to graduate because the skills you learn throughout this class is a life skill needed for the future.
Despite the critical importance of financial literacy, many secondary schools around the nation fail to successfully prepare students in this subject. As a senior graduating this year, I think it is extremely important for all high school students to learn how to file taxes, build the necessary skills to confidently manage their finances, and much more.
I believe this is not only a problem at NVD but all other high schools as well. Although there are financial literacy elective classes at NVD, the school only requires students to take one business related class throughout their four years.
Even though students are required to take at least one business related class during their time here, there are a large variety of business classes to choose from, and only a select few actually discuss financial literacy skills.
Moving further, there are also ways to not take a business course at NVD at all because there are online courses students can take over the summer to fill out their business requirement. I am a prime example of this situation as I have never taken a business related course at NVD.
Learning about managing finances earlier in high school would definitely aid students in the future when they are paying for everything on their own. For example, at some point during college or after graduating, most people will have to move into new homes that they will have to afford on their own. Without much knowledge on how to budget, save, invest, manage finances, and understand credit, it would be a very difficult and stressful time.
Although business may not be a field some students want to pursue later on, I believe it is crucial for all high school students to learn about financial literacy to help them in the near future. Even though some students may avoid financial literacy classes because it is related to business, I think it remains important for schools to teach students that they are separate because financial literacy is more of a life skill.
I believe that financial literacy is very important because it helps students understand these concepts as well as learn how to make informed decisions about major purchases like houses and cars.
Having a required financial literacy class would also not only help students but society as a whole. Students actually learning how to manage their money would help prevent debt accumulation and financial crises among upcoming young adults.
