Nonprofit Financial Mentors of America provides guidance to high school students

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Nonprofit Financial Mentors of America aims to help educate students on financial literacy while letting them explore career possibilities. About the program

The Houston-based nonprofit started in 2013, Vice President Bing Mei said, and partners with Decker USA, an organization focused on publishing financial materials, to provide school districts with a year-long Real Life Financial Mathematics course.

Along with the course curriculum, the program ensures students have access to career advisors and financial mentors who help them form long-term goals, and discover their natural talents and passions before entering the workforce.

Mei has over 20 years of experience in information technology, and he joined the nonprofit in March to help lead the organization’s direction and growth. FMA has about 12,000 students enrolled in the program across roughly 31 Texas school districts, Mei said.

“Everyone we've talked to said this is kind of vital; kind of a necessary life skill that we need to get the kids up and ready to be prepared for,” he said.

Why it matters

Kathy Lehman has taught at Huntsville High School for 18 years, and has been using Decker USA’s Real Life Financial Mathematics course for several years after being introduced to Lorraine Decker. Lorraine started Decker USA alongside her late husband Ken Decker, Mei said.

During the 15 chapters of Real Life Financial Mathematics course, students cover topics like:

Emergency fundsCredit cardsSavings and checking accountsRoth individual retirement accountsTraditional IRAsTaxesThis is the first year Huntsville High School is partnering with FMA to give students access to advisors and mentors, Lehman said. At the beginning of the semester, students got to hear from people with jobs in IT, business and accounting during a career advisory panel. “I'm super excited about this program, and I'm super excited for my kids so they can talk to the mentors and figure out what's out there,” Lehman said. “I have some that I think are so smart, but they cut themselves so short.”

About 20 career advisors and mentors are currently involved with FMA, Mei said. Through a selection process, financial mentors and students are paired together so students can receive extended guidance.

“We will actually make sure you're getting the right level of engagement and input to help provide more and more coaching,” Mei said.

Looking ahead

Students are offered the program in several school districts, including:

Montgomery ISDPasadena ISDHuntsville ISDGarland ISDMelissa ISDBellville ISDFMA officials are actively looking to expand into more districts, private schools and charter schools across Texas, Mei said. In the future, he hopes the nonprofit will serve students in other states, including Florida and Oklahoma. [ad_1]

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