People don't often go into education for big bucks. But one local high-school teacher made it his charge to make sure his students can be able to save big bucks when they graduate.
Brian Page, a high-school business teacher in Reading Community Schools, made it his mission to craft a fun and educational game about how to manage personal finance called "
Awesome Island," a board game that teaches players personal finance rudiments, from budgeting to starting a Roth IRA to buying a home.
"The idea began a few years ago when I needed to introduce the subject in an engaging and non-threatening way," says Page. "It provides a lot of teachable moments for kids."
The game starts each contestant with a career, from janitor to banker, and follows his or her financial history, making choices about what kinds of investments are needed for success, such as buying a new car or investing the stock market.
This year, the game was awarded the EIFLE award for Excellence in Financial Literacy and recognized by the
Center for Financial Literacy at Champlain College. The game is considered one of the leading methods of teaching young adults about finance.
"Thousands of kids are benefiting from this experience and it's an incredible feeling," says Page.
Do Good:
Network. This games works for students and adults as everyone can garner a bit of financial literacy from it. If you're a professional in personal finance who is able to teach the game at a community or another forum, contact
Page for details.
Donate.
Purchase a copy of "Awesome Island" and donate it your local school's economics department.
Spread the word.
Follow "Awesome Island" on Twitter.
By Ryan McLendon
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.