Middle and high school ‘Heroes’ teach financial literacy

This fall, Junior Achievement of New York — a nonprofit organization aiming to educate students about workforce readiness, entrepreneurship, and financial literacy — collaborated with the Baldwin School District once again on the ever-growing “High School and Middle School Heroes” program.

The district has partnered with JA for nearly 20 years. Without hesitation, a group of approximately 60 Baldwin High School students and 20 Baldwin Middle School students took on the roles of mentors and instructors, imparting valuable financial literacy lessons to 18 classes in grades two through five at Plaza Elementary School. The unique volunteer initiative not only provided essential financial knowledge to the younger generation, but also offered the secondary students invaluable hands-on teaching experience, solidifying their passion for the profession.

“Seeing the collaboration between students of all grade levels is truly inspiring when looking at the future of teaching,” Gabriella Franza, assistant director of instructional programs for Baldwin UFSD, said. “I am confident that we are in good hands when it comes to Baldwin’s future educators.”

The JA’s mission is to inspire and prepare young people to succeed in a global economy.

“The envisioned future - what we aspire to become,” stated on NewYork.JA.org. “Junior Achievement maintains an active vision, front and center, on how we can have a positive impact on the lives of more students.”

The core values of JA is the belief in the boundless potential of young people, passion for what they do, respect for the talents of all individuals, belief in the power of partnership and collaboration, and conviction in the educational and motivational impact of hands-on learning.

As part of the High School Heroes program, representatives from the nonprofit conduct two one-and-a-half-hour training sessions about lesson plans and other important aspects of pedagogy. Those who participated learn time management, presentation and leadership skills, accountability, and discipline. The high school students also have the opportunity to apply for college scholarships through JA.

The aspiring teachers encompassed students from the Future Educators of America, the Education Academy, the middle school Pre-Academy Future Teachers of Baldwin as well as the Future Business Leaders of America. They meticulously crafted age-appropriate lesson plans, incorporating engaging activities, interactive games, and relatable real-world scenarios to bring the abstract concepts of finance to life.

The program was made possible with the help of JA representatives Linda Furey and Casey Collins; secondary teachers Samantha Billig, Christina Reilly, Analisa Giannone, Giuseppe Chiaravalloti, Eric Rothbard; in addition to Plaza’s teachers; assistant principal Jeanette; and principal Mark Gray.

“We are proud to see our students rise to the occasion when presented with a challenge,” Samantha Billig, the Family & Consumer Sciences Teacher at Baldwin High School and Future Teachers of America advisor, said. “They inspire the elementary students, while setting a great example for their peers.”

Both the elementary and secondary students appreciated the collaboration with each other, as well as JA. The invaluable “Leaving2Learn” was another success story for the district’s School-2-Career curriculum.