Students Benefit from Financial Literacy

Business teacher John Alvarez says he believes that many students in Nutley High School are only taking Financial Literacy to fulfill the requirement to graduate. “[Students] don’t really have a choice, but I know some take it to learn. Some even take it for the requirement and come back to ask for relearning,” Alvarez said.

Financial literacy is a necessary class that focuses on teaching students topics such as avoiding debt traps, interest rates, credit scores, investment portfolios, budgeting, debt management, negotiating salaries, and job interviews. The class provides knowledge on “how to adult,” says Alvarez.

Alvarez thinks most students actually like the class. “I try to make the class as enjoyable as possible, and most kids seem to like it,” he said.

Freshman Jayden Johnson has mixed reviews on the class. “I can’t say that I like it; but, I enjoy being in class… the work is frustrating, but the teacher makes it more entertaining. I like that we learn about budgeting because I spend a lot,” he said.

Another freshman, Haley Garcia, agrees with Johnson. “I will most certainly use the information on budgeting in the future. I like what I learn and I have very bad spending problems,” she said. 

However, some students say they have trouble retaining what they learn: “I would say it's a 50/50 split. I do get students who use the information and use job resumes and interviews to help them get jobs…some return not remembering and ask how,” Alvarez said. 

Surprisingly, despite the class being a requirement, it does not deter the students from gaining interest in the subject. “I feel like in the situation of budgeting, you will learn it; but, I don’t think freshmen and sophomores should be taking it,” said Johnson. “I take the class for the requirement and for my own interest. I value what I learn but I will not have a future career in finance,” said Garcia.

Many freshmen and sophomores at NHS take financial literacy to get it behind them, but Alvarez prefers an older age for the class. “Juniors and seniors understand better and care more; sometimes a freshman’s head is not in the right mindset to learn [about financial literacy],” Alvarez said. 

Although the requirement may deter some students from having interest in the subject, many of those who take the class end up really enjoying it, and learn helpful information they can use as an adult.