Beyond high school, students have to adapt to an independent lifestyle and can no longer rely on guidance from their parents and teachers.
By enrolling in the personal finance class at Carlmont, students are able to gain skills that they can use both during and after their high school years.
Personal finance allows students to learn vital skills regarding the management of their money. It also educates students about financial issues, such as credit debt, and how to avoid these problems.
“This class has many real-life implications outside of the classroom. It teaches me about investments, savings accounts, the structures of banks, and more,” said personal finance student Alexandra Dalzell.
Many classes at Carlmont are meant to prepare students for their lives after high school. Some classes are designed to improve academic skills that can be used in future jobs, and other classes are created to provide students with essential everyday knowledge.
Personal finance teacher James Cappels said, “Learning about finances is something that everybody needs, especially for people living in an area as competitive as the Bay Area. It is very easy to burn through money if you don’t know what you’re doing. This class helps students get off to a good start so that they don’t have to learn about money the hard way.”
Though personal finance at Carlmont teaches students valuable information that can be used later on in life, some students are not aware that the course is available.
Junior Amy Gifford said, “I did not know about the personal finance class, but I would definitely consider taking it. It is an important class because it teaches students about life skills and it prevents us from relying on our parents in the future for things like taxes.”
Though some students, like Gifford, are not aware of them, personal finance and classes comparable to it have been taught at Carlmont for many years.
Cappels said, “This is my first year teaching, but I am aware that Carlmont had classes similar to personal finance for the past eight or nine years. Though these classes had different names, they all taught students about managing money.”
Many believe that enrolling in personal finance at Carlmont is an investment that will produce lifelong advantages, and students are encouraged to do so.
Cappels said, “Students should enroll in personal finance because managing money is a skill that is used throughout life. With a little knowledge and preparation, students can easily avoid credit debt and other financial issues.”
