More than 300 School District 27 rural students recently took part in the Junior Achievement of British Columbia’s second annual Boot Camp on Financial Literacy.
Workshops were held at Thompson Rivers University’s Williams Lake campus on Thursday, April 21, said Linda Black, School District 27’s Rural Secondary Program Co-ordinator.
Grades 8, 9, and 10 students from Naghtaneqed, Tatla Lake, Alexis Creek, Dog Creek, Canoe Creek, Horsefly, SD27’s Distance Education Program students, and Lake City Secondary School Grade 10 students participated in the workshops.
A Dollars with Sense workshop introduced the rural students in grades 8 and 9 to personal money management skills such as budgeting, investing and goal setting.
Grade 10 WL campus and rural students participated in an Economics for Success workshop to help them develop skills to set goals, seize opportunities, and create a future that fuels their passions around discovering which career path best suits their needs, as well as how to get to where they want to be as adults, Black said.
“Both workshops are curriculum linked, student centred and skill focused,” Black said.
Workshop speakers and facilitators included BMO bank representatives Rhonda Hordiuk, Azadeh Klassen and Stephane Livolki; CIBC bank representative Kirby Fofonoff and Kara Wright, the Regional Junior Achievement representative from Kamloops.
Local teachers and volunteers also assisted with the facilitation of the JABC workshops.
In a JABC survey following the workshops students provided feedback on what they had learned such as “living is really expensive” … “look at the bigger picture” … “understand what to expect after and in high school.”
The students shared their insights on learning about the consequences of bad credit; investing possibilities; importance of budgeting; the difference between credit card and debit card; different methods of paying bills; protecting themselves from fraud; finalizing career goals; new determination to save money; thinking ahead; and being more prepared for and confident about their job search or career choices.
“A huge thank you to all the volunteers, teachers, coordinators and speakers who made this event possible for these students,” Black said.