GHS students introduce Wicked Smart financial program

What is a credit score? How do I budget for the future? How do loans work? How will I pay my taxes? As young adults and high school students, we ask these questions every day and GHS seniors Myles Tran-Harrison and Jefferson do Carmo have found the answers. 

With the help of the Gloucester Youth Leadership Council and Cape Ann Savings Bank, do Carmo and Tran-Harrison established a personal finance program – Wicked Smart – with the goal of increasing financial literacy among GHS juniors and seniors. 

The program ran its first two 90-minute sessions on September 9th and 16th. 

“Only 18% of graduates after high school are confident in their financial skills,” do Carmo said. “We believe that it is going to be helpful for them [high school students] to manage their money better.”

 Tran-Harrison and do Carmo both plan on pursuing finance-related careers in the future. 

“Since I was a freshman, I read a lot of personal finance books,” Tran-Harrison said. “I learned a lot more about it, and I started doing my own investing.”

Program instructors Kevin Noyes and Mark Olson from the Cape Ann Savings Bank began with budgeting and savings on the first day, followed by credit cards and credit scores on the second. These sessions include slideshow presentations, Kahoots, and other interactive games.

“It was a good idea of what you need to start doing time-wise,” program participant and GHS senior Niava Friday said. “Especially as juniors and seniors – it’s a good way to figure out how you need to conduct yourself economically.”

So far 10-20 students have attended each session. 

“There was a lot that I didn’t know about credit cards and debit cards,” program participant and GHS junior Joey Porcello said. “I now know some things to be wary of when I start spending for myself, especially when I get into college.”

Tran-Harrison and do Carmo plan to hold more sessions in the spring, which will focus on investments for any juniors or seniors that are interested.