Teens learn value of saving for goals, like grad party, at MEO Financial Literacy Workshop

About 30 intermediate and high school students learned the value of budgeting and saving for goals, like a graduation party, at the Maui Economic Opportunity Teen Financial Literacy Workshop, held Oct. 9 and 10 at MEO in Wailuku.

The Fall Break workshop, offered at no cost to attendees, was one of the larger ones for the program, taught by MEO Business Development Specialists Lianne Peros-Busch and Jaimie Dukelow.

Topic covered included budgeting and savings, basic banking, applying for jobs, credit and its importance and more. The overarching goal of the workshop was to provide the teens with the skills, tools and knowledge to make sound financial decisions and a foundation to help them achieve their life goals. 

One exercise involved creating plans to reach short-, intermediate- and long-term savings goals. Short-term savings goals included purchases of basketball shoes and a baseball bat. One long-term goal for a youth, who was a junior, was to save for a graduation party next school year.

The Maui County Office of Economic Development provided funding for the workshop.