High school students learn financial literacy in Massachusetts

HABITS YEAR ROUND. WHAT’S YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION? SAVE MONEY. AS A NEW YEAR BEGINS. FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS TOP THE LIST FOR MILLIONS OF AMERICANS. SO IF YOUR NEW YEAR’S RESOLUTION IS TO BE MORE FINANCIALLY LITERATE, I WOULD SAY TO SET GOALS FOR YOURSELF. PUT THOSE GOALS INTO PRACTICE AND SAVE A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF MONEY EVERY MONTH FOR WHATEVER YOUR GOALS ARE SAVING MORE, SPENDING LESS. IT’S ONE OF THE MOST COMMON NEW YEAR’S GOALS, AND FOR GOOD REASON. OUR FINANCES IMPACT NEARLY EVERY DECISION WE MAKE. YET MOST PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO MANAGE MONEY THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR. I TELL MY STUDENTS THAT THERE ARE CONCEPTS THAT THEY LEARN IN MANY CLASSES, AND THEY WILL MAYBE APPLY THOSE IN LIFE. THE CONCEPTS THAT THEY LEARN IN THIS CLASS, THEY WILL BE APPLICABLE NO MATTER WHERE THEY GO IN LIFE. AT CONCORD CARLISLE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ARE LEARNING THOSE LESSONS BEFORE ADULTHOOD EVEN BEGINS. YOU LEARN ABOUT ACTUAL LIFE EXPERIENCES, HOW TO SPEND YOUR MONEY, WHERE TO PUT IT, AND JUST BENEFICIAL STUFF THAT YOU KNOW, MAYBE LIKE WRITE AN ESSAY WON’T TEACH YOU IN A FINANCIAL LITERACY CLASS TAUGHT BY MATH TEACHER LORI FORTUNATO, STUDENTS DIVE INTO THE REAL MECHANICS OF MONEY BUDGETING, SAVING CREDIT CARDS, TAXES, AND EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN. WE COVER CONCEPTS SUCH AS MONEY MANAGEMENT AND BUDGETING, AND WE TALK ABOUT BORROWING MONEY IN REGARDS TO CREDIT CARDS AS WELL AS LOANS, STUDENT LOANS, MORTGAGES. WE ALSO DISCUSS INSURANCE. THESE AREN’T ABSTRACT IDEAS. THEY’RE SKILLS STUDENTS WILL USE THE MOMENT THEY GRADUATE. KIND OF GIVES YOU A PERSPECTIVE ON HOW MUCH THINGS COST AND HOW TO BUDGET, AND HOW TO NOT GO IN DEBT DURING THE CLASSES. REALITY FAIR STUDENTS ARE GIVEN A SALARY AND LIFE PROFILE AND ASKED TO MAKE IT WORK. HOW MUCH MONEY ARE YOU MAKING RIGHT NOW? THEY MOVE THROUGH THE ROOM, STOPPING AT STATIONS THAT REPRESENT REAL WORLD EXPENSES RENT, CAR PAYMENTS, CHILD INSURANCE, GROCERIES, EVEN VACATIONS AND PETS. I THINK THEY END UP REALIZING A LOT OF WHAT THEIR PARENTS DO FOR THEM WHEN THEY LEARN THIS, AND THEY HAVE A MORE OF APPRECIATION FOR THAT BECAUSE THEY HAVEN’T BEEN HANDLING FINANCES THEMSELVES YET. GO PUT SOME INTO SOME SAVINGS. FOR MANY STUDENTS, IT’S THE FIRST TIME THEY TRULY SEE HOW FAST MONEY CAN DISAPPEAR. A LOT OF THEM ALSO SAY THEY NEVER REALIZED ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO PAY FOR WHEN THEY’RE OLDER, AND HOW EXPENSIVE THEY CAN BE. THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE GAVE YOU A ZERO, AND HOW IMPORTANT PLANNING REALLY IS. AS SOMEONE GOING INTO COLLEGE SOON AND SAVING UP FOR COLLEGE, IT’S BEEN REALLY HELPFUL TRYING TO LEARN WHERE’S THE BEST PLACE TO PUT MY MONEY IN THE MEANTIME? TO MAKE IT GROW AND MAKE COLLEGE A LITTLE BIT EASIER IN THE FUTURE. BUT THE EXPERIENCE DOESN’T END IN THE CLASSROOM FOR ME, MOST IMPORTANT, SAVING IS TO BUY A HOME AT THE FINANCIAL EDUCATION OUTREACH CLUB IS TAKING THOSE LESSONS FURTHER. FORTUNATO ACTUALLY HELD A FINANCIAL LITERACY REALITY HERE AT MY FIFTH GRADE FOR MY FIFTH GRADE CLASS, AND I THOUGHT IT WAS REALLY EYE OPENING BECAUSE I’VE NEVER LEARNED ABOUT FINANCIAL LITERACY BEFORE, AND IT WAS MY FIRST TIME GETTING TO KNOW ABOUT SAVING AND BUDGETING. I THOUGHT THAT WAS WEIRD, THAT WE’VE NEVER BEEN TAUGHT THAT AT SCHOOL, AND I WANTED TO CREATE THAT SAME EXPERIENCE FOR OTHER KIDS. THE CLUB IS LED BY CURRENT SENIOR SOPHIE HONG, WHOSE MISSION IS TO MAKE FINANCIAL LITERACY A REQUIRED COURSE IN MASSACHUSETTS SCHOOLS. WE ALL BELIEVE IT’S REALLY IMPORTANT BECAUSE FINANCIAL LITERACY IS SOMETHING THAT EVERYONE HAS TO KNOW BECAUSE YOU’RE GOING TO MAKE MONEY IN THE FUTURE, YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE TO KNOW HOW TO SPEND IT. THE CLUB MEETS WEEKLY, BUT THEIR WORK REACHES INTO THE COMMUNITY, THE DOLLAR BILLS AND COINS, AND THEN THEY HAVE TO, LIKE, SORT THEM. OKAY, MEMBERS SHARE WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED BY TEACHING OTHERS, INCLUDING A RECENT VISIT TO A LOCAL PRESCHOOL WHERE THEY INTRODUCE YOUNG STUDENTS TO THE BASICS OF MONEY. WE HAVE LIKE FOUR DIFFERENT TOPICS FOR TEACHING TOMORROW, AND THERE’S GOODS AND SERVICES, WANTS VERSUS NEEDS, SAVING, AND LIKE LEARNING ABOUT EACH TYPE OF BILL AND COIN. WHILE MANY PEOPLE WAIT UNTIL JANUARY TO RESOLVE TO DO BETTER WITH MONEY IN CONCORD CARLISLE STUDENTS ARE ALREADY LEARNING HOW IT IS MY FAVORITE CLASS TO TEACH. I LIKE THAT WHEN I HEAR STUDENTS DOING THINGS FOR THE FIRST TIME AND THEY TELL ME I JUST OPENED MY FIRST SAVINGS ACCOUNT, I JUST OPEN UP MY FIRST INVESTMENT ACCOUNT. I FEEL THAT THAT’S VERY REWARDING TO ME. WHAT A GREAT CLASS. AND MASSACHUSETTS IS ACTUALLY 1 IN 11 STATES THAT DOES NOT HAVE A PERSONAL FINANCE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT, NOT A REQUIREMENT. IN FACT, CHAMPLAIN COLLEGE, WHICH RATES THESE THINGS, GAVE MASSACHUSETTS AN F OUCH. FOR OUR EFFORTS TO GIVE FINANCIAL LITERACY TO CHILDREN IN HIGH SCHOOL. HOWEVER, THE MASSACHUSETTS HOUSE LAST YEAR DID PASS AN ACT TO IMPROVE THAT TO DO MORE

New year, smart money: High school students learn financial literacy in Massachusetts

As Americans set financial goals for the new year, students at Concord-Carlisle High School are learning real-world money skills — from budgeting to taxes.

Updated: 8:11 PM EST Jan 5, 2026

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As a new year begins, financial resolutions top the list for millions of Americans. Our finances affect nearly every decision we make, and at Concord-Carlisle High School, students are learning financial lessons before adulthood even begins. In a financial literacy class taught by math teacher Laurie Fortunato, students dive into the real mechanics of money: budgeting, saving, credit cards, taxes and everything in between. Fortunato says, “I tell my students … the concepts that they learn in this class, they will be applicable no matter where they go in life.”The experience for Concord-Carlisle students doesn’t end in the classroom; the CCHS Financial Education Outreach Club is taking financial literacy lessons out into the community.

CONCORD, Mass. —

As a new year begins, financial resolutions top the list for millions of Americans. Our finances affect nearly every decision we make, and at Concord-Carlisle High School, students are learning financial lessons before adulthood even begins. In a financial literacy class taught by math teacher Laurie Fortunato, students dive into the real mechanics of money: budgeting, saving, credit cards, taxes and everything in between.

Fortunato says, “I tell my students … the concepts that they learn in this class, they will be applicable no matter where they go in life.”

The experience for Concord-Carlisle students doesn’t end in the classroom; the CCHS Financial Education Outreach Club is taking financial literacy lessons out into the community.