Financial literacy wasn’t something I studied in school, but I’ve picked up enough over the years to get by. Fortunately, both of my kids went to Winooski High School, where completion of a personal finance class is a graduation requirement.
I can see it paying dividends already. Both of them have jobs and are actively saving for college and a sibling trip to Europe. My 16-year-old daughter is also saving for retirement in a recently opened Roth IRA. Her idea, not ours.
I don’t understand why more Vermont schools don’t embrace this requirement, especially in an era when college costs — and financial scams — are on the rise. Now more than ever, our kids need to understand the value of their dollars. If your child’s school doesn’t offer a personal finance class, find out if one is available through the Vermont Virtual Learning Cooperative. My kids took one of the VTVLC classes and learned a lot from it.
Parents and caregivers can also turn to other local resources to teach kids about money matters. In Montpelier, the Manghis’ Bread, a family-owned bakery, helps elementary school students learn how to order and pay for something — in this case, the bakery’s popular 5-cent dinner rolls. Seven Days food writer Jordan Barry reports on this small-town tradition in “On a Roll.”
In “Use Your Words,” illustrator Elisa Järnefelt explains how to write a check — and why she still has to look up the instructions online.
Seven Days staffer Ken Picard spoke with the president and CEO of the Vermont Student Assistance Corporation about saving for college or career training through Vermont’s 529 plan.
And Gillian English interviewed some of the student vendors who will be selling products at the upcoming Young Entrepreneurs’ Fair on Saturday, March 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Burlington’s Generator makerspace. Seven Days and Kids VT are among the organizers.
These intrepid young business owners will be selling their artwork, crafts, jewelry, T-shirts and greeting cards from booths with kid-created names, including Goblin’s Forge and Yarn Barf.
We hope you’ll stop by and make a few purchases to support this unique opportunity for hands-on learning.
If you’re still looking for summer camps, there are a bunch of ads in this issue — and 47 options listed on campfindervt.com!
This article appears in Kids VT, Spring 2025.
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