Georgia CPAs Teach Financial Literacy to Students Throughout the State

Members of The Georgia Society of CPAs (GSCPA) understand the value and importance of financial literacy education and recently coordinated the second annual statewide GSCPA Financial Literacy Day for eighth-grade students. The program, titled Millennial Money, gave CPAs throughout Georgia the opportunity to teach local eighth-grade students the importance of financial education and how budgeting and saving can impact their personal and professional lives now and throughout their futures.

GSCPA CEO, Boyd Search points out the apt match between the outreach program and the organization, saying, “As financial experts, CPAs are uniquely qualified to provide students with the education and tools they need to begin thinking about and making sound financial decisions as they grow into adulthood.” 

During the one-day outreach event, 113 GSCPA members visited middle school classrooms where they taught basic financial literacy concepts, such as saving, investing and budgeting to more than 6,200 eighth-graders. With the event in its second year, these numbers doubled the number of schools reached and tripled the number of students as compared to the inaugural event. 

Cindy Vickers, CPA, senior accountant at Nichols, Cauley & Associates, LLC notes that “Financial literacy prior to high school allows kids to see a connection between their job opportunities and lifestyle. Knowing budgeting and saving makes a difference and allows them to plan for college or a career throughout high school instead of getting a big surprise at the end of 12th grade.”

The curriculum offered a presentation as well as a poster for classrooms and take-home handouts for students to encourage further conversation between parents and students. Presenters highlighted the importance of budgeting and saving to generate conversations among families on real-world expenses such as cellphones and cars.

“It is important that we teach financial literacy early, when kids are receptive. In eighth-grade, kids are open to ideas from adults and are old enough to understand the cause and effect of getting into debt,” said Lisa Conti-Bacon, accounting manager at Circa Lighting.

The Georgia Society of CPAs is honored to have championed this effort and thrilled with the successful feedback from students and educators.