East Forsyth High Teacher Featured on Practical Money Skills Website

Jennifer Haymes

 
Jennifer Haymes, a business and marketing teacher and Finance Academy program coordinator at East Forsyth High School, is featured on a website called Practical Money Skills for Life, a program that Visa created in partnership with consumer advocates, educators and financial institutions.

Here is an excerpt from the article about Haymes:

After obtaining a college degree in business management, she began a career in sales for a year. Soon thereafter, she discovered teaching. She says, "Teaching was not on my radar of things to do. But I've fallen in love with this profession. I can teach what I love learning. I never knew this career was out there. This is what I am meant to do."

This passion and energy is apparent in every aspect of Jennifer's work. When she took over the Finance Academy program at East Forsyth seven years ago, 10-15 students were enrolled. Now, the program has grown to over 180 students. Jennifer explains that since 2010, there has been increasing emphasis in North Carolina on incorporating personal finance in the classroom. Recently, her Finance Academy was recognized as a state "best practice" by the North Carolina State Treasurer Janet Cowell and the State Superintendent June Atkinson.

The Finance Academy is geared towards 10th-12th grade students who have an interest in business and personal finance. Students apply in 9th grade by filling out an application and participating in an interview. In addition to regular classes, participants take certain classes together for the remainder of their high school years to create "a family of students with the same goals and aspirations." The students are required to take classes about the principles of business and finance, civics and economics, accounting, international business and financial planning.

Jennifer says the key to her success is creating "fun and cool" lesson plans for her students that cover a range of topics including saving, investing, budgeting, balancing a checkbook, interest rates, loans, credit cards and scores, student and car loans, economics and retirement planning.

For the full story, go to Practical Money Skills