Financial Literacy for Local High Schools
When you think of high school classes, money management isn’t something that comes to mind immediately. However, learning about personal finance at a young age helps set students up for a more successful relationship with money later in life.
Sticking to a budget, paying bills on time, getting a loan and staying out of debt are just some of the topics that are helpful in a basic understanding of personal finance. Pennian Bank understands the need for financial literacy in our schools, which is why we partner with Banzai, a financial literacy program.
Through our partnership with Banzai, we are able to offer it to local schools, free of charge.
Banzai is an interactive, online game that walks students through real-life financial scenarios. They are given a fictional income, which they then have to budget. Students look at expenses like rent, food, car payments, insurance, gas, clothing, etc and figure out what portion of their income will go to each category. Throughout the game, they are encouraged to save money in an emergency fund for unexpected expenses. They will even be faced with scenarios where they need to choose between a fun way to spend their money (like concert tickets) or something practical (such as new tires for their car.)
The game addresses other financial issues, such as renter’s insurance, building your credit and how much of your income should go to housing. It tests their decision-making skills and allows for eye-opening learning on money management.
Currently, Pennian Bank provides Banzai to eight local schools, grades 9-12, at no cost to the school. It is available in classes at:
- East Juniata High School
- Juniata High School
- Juniata Christian School
- Newport High School
- Greenwood High School
- West Perry High School
- Mechanicsburg Senior High School
The program has served 29 teachers and nearly 3,000 students. Here are some things local students are saying after they completed the Banzai course:
“Sometimes unfortunate events occur at bad times, making it hard to save money.”
Student at West Perry High School
“Saving money is more important than I thought!”
Student at West Perry High School
“I learned that no matter how hard I tried, life is expensive and money goes fast!”
Student at Newport High School
“I learned that you need to be careful with credit cards because they can mess up your credit score.”
Student at Juniata High School
Click here to learn more about Pennian Bank’s partnership with Banzai’s Financial Literacy program.