From a very young age, Courtney learned about the value of a buck and now she’s giving back to the next generation by sharing her knowledge. She's creative in her teaching techniques. I bet you can't wait to hear about her Business and Board Games class. She's passionate in her advocacy. The Vermont legislators can certainly attest to that. She makes the community better, much better, as the attendees of the Vermont Summer Institute and the NGPF Fellows will tell you. Listen to this podcast and you will be inspired by this one-of-a-kind educator.

Details

• 0:00–1:19 Introduction
• 1:20–5:02 Business & Board Games 101: yes, it’s a real class
• 5:03–6:28 Great games for a rainy day
• 6:29–8:56 How Courtney learned the value of money
• 8:57–12:18 Where her passion for financial literacy stems from
• 12:19–16:47 If at first you have a deficit-ridden budget plan, try, try, try again
• 16:48–19:05 Helping students build trust with banks
• 19:06–19:35 A word from NGPF
• 19:36–23:44 Tinkering with financial education trends & increasing student engagement
• 23:45–27:31 Students want to invest their time in learning how to invest
• 27:32–29:40 Favorite classroom moments translate to conversations outside of class
• 29:41–34:26 Moving the dial: her journey in advocating for financial literacy in Vermont
• 34:27–36:13 What motivates decision-making at a state-level
• 36:14–40:06 The impact of financial literacy is undeniable
• 40:14–42:02 Courtney’s side hustle
• 42:03–42:27 “Work hard, and pay yourself first”
• 42:28–42:59 She wished she could’ve trusted the market at 18
• 43:00–43:47 Where she turns to stay up-to-date
• 43:48–44:35 Conclusion

A little about Courtney

• Courtney is an NGPF Fellow and teaches at Winooski High School in Winooski, Vermont
• Courtney serves as the K-12 Representative for the Center for Financial Literacy

Her favorite resources

• CREATE: A Salary-Based Budget
• Awesome Island board game
• NGPF’s Semester Course

• NGPF’s Monthly Newsletter

Notable Quotes: 

• “I think by having to make my own decisions with money at an early age, I really started to think about the things I was buying and how much they cost.”
• “One of my proudest moments was when I had this student… come in with the resume she made in class to go and get a part-time job… One place was so impressed that she brought her resume with her that they offered her a job on the spot.”
• “75% of schools in Vermont offer Financial Literacy as a standalone course, and we’re trying to move [legislation] so that all schools have it as a requirement.”

About the Authors

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

Danielle Bautista

Danielle is a native of Southern California and a recent graduate from the University of Maine, where she braved the frigid winters—a feat in and of itself—and earned her Bachelor's degree in International Affairs. She has a passion for working with non-profit organizations and serving populations in underprivileged communities. When Danielle isn't writing NGPF blog posts, spearheading various outreach projects, or managing contests and flash surveys, you can find her doing some sort of outdoor activity, learning a new hobby, or cracking what she thinks are witty puns!