People’s Community Action Corporation’s College Connection Educational Tours Exposing Students to Colleges and Universities
One of our important services for high school students is People’s Community Action Corporation’s College Connection Educational Tours. Our goal is to inspire, encourage, and assist students in attaining higher education and career goals. We realize that exposing students to a higher educational opportunity will help them gain a new life experience and give them an alternative outlook on their future. “At PCAC, we fully recognize the value and importance of a college education in moving families out of poverty,” says Mark Sanford, Executive Administrator of People’s Community Action Corporation. “Many young adults in our community come from families with limited knowledge or history of enrollment in college. Taking a college tour is a great way to develop knowledge of college life and increase the comfort level of college environment for both students and parents.” It is also an opportunity to consider the long term benefits of higher education. Students who achieve degrees from colleges, universities or trade schools are likely to have seven times more earning power in their lifetime than those who do not. For more information about the People’s Community Action Corporation, College Connection Educational Tours, check out the flyer on page 28 or contact the Program Manager, David Swingler at 314-305-9290.
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Additionally, there are health benefits due to attending college. According to People’s Health Centers CEO, Dwayne Butler,“Individuals who are successful in achieving higher education are likely to live a longer life and have overall better health outcome during their lifetime.” “College Connection exists to increase the numbers of students who understand that college can be a choice for them. Our tours, without question, are a life changing experience,” says David Swingler, Program Manager, College Connection. “They motivate and inspire students to work harder than ever to achieve their educational goals.” Since our program’s inception, we have successfully taken over 150 students on tour, assisting many of them with getting into the college of their choice and exposing them to many colleges within Missouri and Historically Black Colleges and Universities in other states.
City Treasurer Jones on Sending Kids to College and Getting St. Louis Banked by Kawan Yarborough We had a chance to catch up with City Treasurer Tishaura Jones as she embarks on holding her position for the last four years. What does being the Treasurer involve? We decided to ask the Treasurer herself. “The Treasurer is the Chief Cash Management and Investment Officer for the City of St. Louis. We also print all city employee paychecks, which are now all on mandatory direct deposit. There isn’t a city employee that doesn’t have a bank account,” says Treasurer Jones. “Also, we are uniquely positioned as the parking supervisor. We manage all of the on-street parking assets.” Treasurer Jones not only holds the City Treasurer title, but she also has the program College Kids, right here in St. Louis, MO. College Kids is a college savings program where children entering kindergarten in St. Louis Public and Charter Schools receive a savings account used for college purposes. Treasurer Jones says. “I discovered that in San Francisco, their Kindergarten of College Children’s Savings Account Program began about six years ago and gives every kindergartner in a public school an account loaded with $50, funded by the City of San Francisco and incentives to watch that account grow through matched savings. I took that program and tweaked it for our environment; found a credit union that was able to be our partner, First Financial Credit Union, and now we offer $50 to every entering kindergartner every year starting last year. We load it with the first $50 using residual parking funds since the Treasurer is the custodian of parking funds and also we have incentives up to $200 which are matched savings up to the first $100 saved.” In just the first year, College Kids has “…over 3,200 children enrolled, a little over 800 of that are participating in the additional incentives.” Treasurer Jones shares with us that College Kids is in “…64 out of 65 public schools in the city (that’s district and charter schools), and over $20,000 has been earned in incentive rewards by those children.” City Treasurer Tishaura Jones has made great strides sending kids closer to college and getting families banked. We can’t wait to see where College Kids will be in the near future. For more info about College Kids visit: www.stlofe.org
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Table Of Contents
2016
FINANCE
6
Senior Needs vs. Wants: Tips for Creating a Senior Year Budget
Tips to Purchasing Your First Vehicle
12
HEALTHY EATING Seeds of Hope Farm Feeding Food Deserts One Block at a Time
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EDUCATION Dear Class of 2017 Class in Session: KIPP Makes a National Impact
16
YOUTH JOBS
Keeping School & Work in Check: Budgeting for Your Time Tailor Made: The St. Louis Suit Project
20 ENTREPRENEURSHIP Understand That Money Doesn't Grow on Trees Biz Kid Entrepreneuer: Mikey's Munchies Vending
27
CULTURE
Show Me Arts Academy: Spreading Love & Art
30
PARTNERSHIPS Financial Advice from Community Partners Financial Advice from Bank Partners
This magazine was produced for teens, by teens from the Greater St. Louis area.
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Good news for our readers We're online, too!
Visit onthemoneystl.org to begin enjoying our online blog! Visit onthemoneystl.org/the-mag to enjoy a digital version of the magazine.
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OTM LIT:
Financial Terms to Know by Latahjia Robinson For those who do not understand all those financial terms people use, here’s an OTM translation for you!
budget
Planning out where your money will be spent; A limit on on your short, intermediate, and long term expenses.
certificate of deposit (cd)
A type of savings account that earns a fixed interest rate over a specific period of time.
college work study program
A program that enables qualifying students to work part time to earn money to help finance the costs of post-secondary education.
credit
The granting of money or something else of value in exchange for a promise of future repayment.
credit card
A plastic card from a financial services company that allows cardholders to buy goods and services on credit.
credit report
A loan and bill payment history, kept by a credit reporting company used by financial institutions and other potential creditors to determine the likelihood of a future debt being repaid.
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credit score
A number generated by a statistical model that objectively predicts the likelihood that a debt will be repaid on time.
debit card
A plastic card similar to a credit card that allows money to be withdrawn or the cost of purchases paid directly from the holder’s account.
expenses
An amount of money in your budget to pay for something.
finance
The way in which money is used and handled; especially : the way in which large amounts of money are used and handled by governments and companies.
free application for federal student aid (fafsa)
The free application used for federal student aid, such as federal grants, loans, and work study.
401(k) plan
A tax deferred investment and savings plan that serves as a personal retirement fund for employees
interest
Paying extra money on how much money that you borrowed.
networking
The exchange of information or services among individuals, groups, or institutions.
loan
An agreed upon amount of money given to the borrower for a specific term ( length of time) and interest rate (amount extra to be paid back with the loan). Loans typically incur equal monthly payments over the team, or length, of the loan.
investment
Setting aside money for future income, benefit, or profit to meet long-term goals; using savings to earn a financial return.
student loan
A low-interest loan for students (or their parents) to help pay for the cost of a student’s education after high school; repayments generally begin after graduation.
Senior Needs vs Wants tips for creating a senior year budget
by Kenyae Shelton
Are senior plans stressing you out? What are you most worried about going into your last year of high school? There is a lot you must do in order to prepare yourself for senior year, but with the right tips, guidelines, and budget; you can make sure your senior year is fun, effective, and affordable. There are certain needs for senior year that include testing fees, graduation dues, and college application fees. College application and enrollment fees are important. If you are interested in a school, the first step towards attending is applying. You have to know when and how to apply and how much it will cost you. You should also look into application fee waivers. Some colleges offer them to those who can’t afford to apply. The next step is taking the ACT, SAT, or both depending on the school's terms of acceptance. Most high schools even give you the option to use fee waivers for ACT and SAT testing. If you can’t afford it, it’s important that you talk to your school counselor. That score could be the reason you do or don’t get into a school. There are also certain things you may want for your senior year, but aren’t exactly a necessity. Senior pictures and prom aren’t as important as the college application process, but it’s something to cherish forever. Senior pictures are documentation of an important and life changing time in your life. Prom is an irreplaceable memory. Therefore, you must find ways to cut the cost so you can experience everything on a budget! Consider for prom borrowing or renting your prom gown/tux. There are plenty of places that offer this service; you just have to do the research! Also consider borrowing a car from a family member or friend for prom instead of spending money on renting one! Those two options alone will cut a lot of costs; at least $300! Prom is like the final celebration with people you have spent months, even years with. You all look amazing and although at times it can be stressful, it’s completely worth it to have photos to look back on.
finance 7
Tips to Purchasing Your First Vehicle by Emmanuel Logan
Know Your Budget Knowing your budget is one of the most important things when it comes to purchasing anything. By knowing how much you can budget for transportation expenses, it will drastically narrow down what you can afford to purchase. Car salesmen are just that, salesmen, and their job is to move cars off the lot. Being indecisive by not knowing how much you want to spend on a vehicle will ultimately be your downfall. Make sure you know how much money you want to spend on a vehicle before you arrive at the dealership.
Do Your Research It’s important to know how much money you have to spend, but it is of equal importance to know how you want to spend it. Do your research on whether or not you want an American vehicle (Ford, Chevy, GM) or if you want a foreign vehicle (Toyota, Nissan, Honda). After deciding the make of the vehicle, continue to refine your search by deciding whether you want a SUV, truck, van, car, or cross-over vehicle.
Calculate Expenses There are more costs to consider than just purchasing the vehicle; moreover, gas, maintenance, insurance, and a monthly car payment also contribute to the overall expenses of owning a car. By calculating all of your expenses per month, replacing a flat or changing your oil will not surprise you or your wallet. Expenses Include, but are not limited to: Taxes, Gas, Maintenance, Insurance, Monthly car payment, Title and licensing the vehicle
Get The Money An important question that arises when purchasing your 1st car is, “How will I pay for that 1st car?” Here are some ideas: • Put the money in your savings account to use. • Ask parents and/or family to contribute to the costs. • Finance through a credit union or bank (you may need a co-signer). • Start a fundraiser and promote on social media (visit teespring.com). • Get a used car donated to you from a family member or close friend. 8 finance
Trendy School Shopping on a Budget Stylish School Looks for Less!
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by Kayla Towns Photos courtesy of thebudgetdivaa.com It’s the beginning of a new school year and your school supplies are lit thanks to that hard working summer you had or great resources that you discovered. But there’s a problem. After you spent money on the supplies you needed, your pockets are lackin’ dollars for what your closet wants. Have you ever just walked into a certain store and saw a shirt, some shoes, or a pair of pants that you really liked and wanted but could not afford because of the price? I know I have! Those prices can hurt some feelings but thanks to affordable finds, there is hope for all of us. If you are guilty of thinking that you have to shop at big popular stores and malls to get the latest trends, stop. There are plenty of times I have asked friends where they got their distressed jeans, maxi dress or anything else and they’ll mention stores like Ross, Marshall’s, Walmart and even a thrift store! My mind is always completely blown away when I find out they are rocking the latest trends and spent less than $20 on what some people spend $200 for! What you have to do is get out of your comfort zone, change it up, and search around for those stylish deals. I had to learn that the hard way. Every time I got paid, I would go to the mall and when I bought about two
outfits, all of my money would be gone. Straying away from those high end stores was one of the best decisions that I’ve made in life because it saved me money and I got more bang for my buck.
With the help of Victoria Mason, Blogger and Editor in Chief of TheBudgetDivaa.com, we have found looks from affordable stores but appear just as high end as from your favorite luxury stores. As you see in the black and grey outfit the top is from eBay for just $7, the leggings are from Stentonian Apparel for only $15, and the sandals are from Charming Charlies for only $15! Also pictured, you can see how Victoria styled up this white tee from her closet! “I paired this tee with a pair of Indigo Reign ripped jeans I picked up from Marshalls for $15 that are literally one of the softest pairs of jeans I own,” Victoria shares. “For shoes, I wore these cute Juicy Couture heels I picked up at Kohl’s for $15! They were originally $75 so it was a total steal to get these and I am in LOVE with the wine color. For a bag I wore my fuzzy cross-body I picked up from Icing for $10 a while back.” Hopefully these affordable fashion finds help your closet and your pockets! finance 9
Invest in the Future What to Do With Your Money and How by Emma Iffrig Have you heard about youth investment clubs in your area? When you hear the word ‘investment’ what do you think of ? Investing consists of putting your money to good use and hopefully profiting from what you already have. You can invest in almost anything such as real estate, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, your bank, and even in yourself. Youth investment clubs help provide young people with ideas about: what to do with their money in the future, how to deal with their spending and educate them on financial literacy. Investment clubs have been around since 1898. But what is considered a youth investment club? Are you even old enough to join one? As far as the ‘adult’ investment clubs go, they usually have no more than 100 adults who meet with the purpose of pooling their money to invest. A youth investment club includes more learning rather than the actual investing. There are thousands of investment clubs; you just need to find one to join! You could view a youth investment club like a chess club. Both are teaching you how to make the wisest and smartest decisions with your money. I mean, who doesn’t like money!?
One youth investment club you can find in Missouri and in almost every other state quite popular is called the Future Investors Club of America (FICA). Their ages range from 8-19. Members choose to take part in either one or more of the FICA Special Training Programs that are held throughout the year. All of the instructors are licensed professionals or teachers who have been trained to present the FICA curriculum in some sort of fun and exciting way. There are usually 10-25 members in a club. Investment clubs are designed to help you make the smartest choices with your money. The younger you are when you start to learn about money, the more prepared you’ll be for the future! So get out, and find a club to join! You can find out more about FICA on their website at:
www.futureinvestorsclub.com/missouri.cfm
10 finance
Grocery Store Wars
by Brock Seals
Do you think you could feed 5 people with only $25? On the Money interns were challenged to find which grocery stores in St. Louis have the best deals. Interns shopped at Aldi, Shop n Save, and Save a Lot to see which store was really the most affordable. The goal was to see who could purchase the entire grocery list consisting of meat, fruit, vegetables, and a starch without spending more than $25.
bags or you can purchase theirs upon check out. When asked about their shopping experience Tubias stated, “I learned that grocery shopping can be difficult. You don’t really expect to spend over $25 on six or seven items. I understand how difficult it is for people shopping for their family now.”
Shop 'n Save The third place group consisted of Leonora & Emma who shopped at Shop 'n Save. Shop 'n Save is a local grocery store that has been in the St. Louis Metropolitan area since 1979. They offer free paper & plastic bags at your convenience. “We were able to find everything easy, we also saved a lot of money by purchasing store brands,” said Leonora. “We added the cost of the items prior to checkout to make sure we stayed under $25.” Leonora and Emma spent exactly $25.
Save a Lot The Save a Lot team consisted of Tubias & Malaika. The two came in second place, spending $24.66. Save a Lot is a discounted grocery store that has nearly 1,300 locations nationwide. You can use your own
Aldi The winning team consisted of Brock (myself ) & Emmanuel. We shopped at Aldi, where you retrieve a shopping cart by inserting a quarter inside, shop and then return the cart to get your quarter back. At Aldi you can bring your own bags or buy their reusable ones at checkout for $.06-$.10! We were able to purchase the entire grocery list while saving $5! When asked about how important budgeting is I answered, “Budgeting is really important. You have to decide whether you want name brand products or generic; usually generic brands are cheaper.” If you’re not already doing the grocery shopping for yourself, this experience prepares you for an affordable and nutritious shopping experience for less than $25. From this shopping experience we can conclude that shopping in discount supermarkets can save you money. As well as couponing and buying store brands. Take this information with you on your next grocery store visit. Shop Smart! finance 11
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Seeds of Hope Farm by Malaika Charrington Photos courtesy of Seeds of Hope Farm
The Seeds of Hope Farm of St. Louis is an organization that works to increase access to affordable fresh produce through their unique income-tiered Co-op, bringing together members of all different economic backgrounds. In recent years across the country, food deserts — areas which lack healthy, affordable, and easily accessible foods — have become especially common. The result has been especially detrimental in lower income communities. These communities often lack dependable full-service grocery stores as well as consistent transportation to allow consumers to travel and find healthy food. In addition, studies have shown that people living in lower income areas are at increased risk for several illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and stroke, which can be largely attributed to the lack of full service grocery stores in these areas. Proximity to fresh, nutritious food has been labeled by several studies as a key factor in determining a person’s diet, especially in low-income communities. Because of this, many people in these areas have few opportunities to eat healthy foods such as fruits, vegetables, and seafood. They instead turn to fast food or other cheaper, and typically less healthy, alternatives. Throughout the St. Louis area numerous businesses and farms have placed themselves at the center of the issue looking to eliminate food deserts completely by offering easily accessible and affordable foods to customers. One of these new organizations is the Community Action Agency of St. Louis County (CAASTLC) Seeds of Hope Farm. This organization offers workshops and classes to teach children and adults about things like healthy cooking, eating, and even gardening. They also offer bus passes to make their services easily accessible to participants. Seeds of Hope Farm offers all of these services free of charge. For teens, they also offer internships to teach the youth about farming and sustainable agriculture. The Seeds of Hope Farm’s main venture is a co-op, in which customers receive a weekly or bi-weekly box full of nutritious, naturally grown, seasonal vegetables for just $20 ($12 for low income families, and $28 for a sponsorship share). The farm partners with other farming organizations to distribute the best produce available.
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Organizations like the Seeds of Hope Farm allow and encourage families to not only eat healthy foods, but also to live a more healthy lifestyle. This in turn helps to create a happier and healthier community.
12 Healthy Eating
For more information visit www.seedsofhopefarm.org
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Feeding Food Deserts One Block at a Time St. Louis Metro Market Serves Fresh Food to Underserved Communities Photos by Najee Person and
by Khyle Buchanan
courtesy of STL Metro Market
There’s a food bus traveling through St. Louis with a purpose: to bring fresh and affordable food to the city’s food deserts. The St. Louis MetroMarket uses a donated city bus to bring fresh food to areas in St. Louis known as food deserts. Food deserts are described as urban neighborhoods and rural towns without convenient access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. With a lack of supermarkets and grocery stores, these areas usually have no food access or are served only by fast food restaurants and “convenience stores” that offer few healthy and affordable food options. So you know what the St. Louis MetroMarket does, but the question still lingers: what is it? Well, the St. Louis MetroMarket is a non-profit mobile farmer’s market started by Jeremy Goss, Tej Azad, and Colin Dowling as the first step to ending food deserts, and another step towards battling obesity in the city. This is also their helping hand for those who live in low-income communities to have access to healthy and affordable food. It’s a great start for a solution to food injustice, hunger, and health problems in Saint Louis. Why waste money on gas to go to expensive supermarkets all the way across town, when the St. Louis MetroMarket is only a request away from being around the corner from your house? If there’s no grocery store in your neighborhood, all you have to do is invite the bus to come to your neighborhood and you’ll have direct access to fresh food without having to burn gas traveling across town. It’s a money saver, and a way to eat healthier, which sounds like a win/win scenario. The bus makes regular stops at local hospitals, but you can follow the St. Louis MetroMarket on social media to stay updated on when and where they will stop next. Quick Challenge Alert: Stop and think to yourself, “How far is the nearest grocery store?” If it’s not within a mile of where you live, think, “Is it worth the gas and money?” and if you answer no, I challenge you to give the MetroMarket a call and bring it to your neighborhood.
For more info: Follow them on Twitter: @STLMetroMarket, like them on Facebook: @stlmetromarket, and visit the site: www.stlmetromarket.com Healthy eating 13
dear CLASS OF
1
‘
Congratulations, your high school career is almost complete. By now you’re probably just tired. You’re probably tired of waking up early, the tests, the cafeteria food, the teachers, the other students, the constant asking of “What are your plans after high school?” But keep your spirits high because it’s about to get extremely lit. You see, it’s all just a process to prepare you for what’s next. You have payments to fulfill such as “senior dues” (Dues - A regular fee or charge payable at specific intervals, especially to a group or organization.) which normally at least $100 if not even more than that. I know you’re probably thinking, “Were all the assignments and studying and finals not enough?” It’s tough I know, but as a former senior I can tell you how I dealt with this and beat the system.
Now the question I have for you to think about is, how will you be prepared for senior dues and other payments? During your senior year you will learn that you are getting to a point where you should be saving money rather than spending so often. When my friends were out spending money on haircuts and lavish clothing, I made the decision to let my 4c meadow of hair grow freely and had already earned my doctorate in thrifting. Initially it was to save money, but soon it became a trademark for me. Now I’m not saying it’s not okay to treat yourself occasionally, but analyze the vain spending you do, and decide how important it actually is. Trying to impress others will leave you broke. What will you sacrifice or change about your spending habits to save for the necessary? Soon tons of flyers for senior trips, sweats, and all kinds of stuff will begin to appear. Remember the days when you could just go outside and play and the only time you even thought about money was when you heard the ice cream truck coming? Go back to that same mentality. Focus on those things that will be most memorable for you, and cut the rest. There are plenty of affordable alternatives to enjoy your senior year; it doesn’t have to cost money to have fun. It all comes down to this: You don't need to go all out. You should network with your teachers and find out if there are any programs, grants, or scholarships they can connect you with. Before you leave, I’ll ask you one more time, how will you prepare for senior dues and other payments? Will you sacrifice what you don’t need for what you absolutely need? Will you pick up a trade like cutting others hair, editing papers, or anything else for extra money? Enjoy this last year to the fullest. Sincerely, 2016 Graduate, Tubias Johnson
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CLASS IN SESSION: KIPP Makes a National Impact by Kayla Towns Were you thinking about college when you were in middle school? Maybe? Maybe not. Well KIPP has put a personal approach on preparing students for college early. KIPP through College (KTC) is a nationwide program within KIPP that provides students and their families with the essential knowledge and preparation they will need for college starting as early as middle school. KTC supports, guides & provides students with college appropriate resources and tools. “We help students find financial assistance to pay for college,” Director of KIPP through College Molly Joyce says. “At KIPP students are able to focus on academic readiness, social integration and college affordability.” KTC “works with the KIPP network to provide comprehensive support for students and families all the way to college graduation, and drives national strategies to help more first-generation students earn degrees.” The counselors and advisors of KIPP are dedicated to do whatever it takes to help and guide students as they get ready for college. A major factor in many students’ education is where they go to school and if it is a school that their family can afford. The curriculum of KIPP helps eliminate the opportunity gap between high and low-income students. The counselors are so considerate that even after their students go to college, they visit the students on campus and they keep in contact with the students through email and phone. KIPP even hosts events for the students when they are back in their hometowns. You may be wondering exactly where the scholarships or financial aid come from? KTC doesn’t directly award financial aid for college, but KTC has partnerships with over 50 different colleges! KTC helps students secure funds from other scholarships or means of financial assistance.
Photo: www.kippstl.org Now you may be asking, ‘How can I tell others about this?’ Do you have friends or family members going to middle school? Well they are already in luck. The only real requirement in order to take advantage of KTC is students must attend a KIPP Middle School for at least one year. Remember this is nationwide, so get everyone involved on the pathway to college! Tell those friends and/or family members approaching middle school to check out KIPP. KIPP is making a huge impact with this KIPP to College program and this is just the beginning. For more information visit www.kipp.org
Victory Academy
955 Arcade Ave. | St. Louis, MO 63112
Wisdom Academy
2647 Ohio Ave. | St. Louis, MO 63118
Inspire Academy
1212 N. 22nd Street | St. Louis, MO 63106
Triumph Academy
955 Arcade Ave. | St. Louis, MO 63112
education 15
are you a young
entrepreneur? Join FBLA & Have Your Business Ideas Come to Life!
by Leonora Dullovi Photo courtesy of #WOCinTech/#WOCinTech Chat If you are interested in business and want to have a great experience, you should join Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA)! FBLA is a nonprofit organization that brings business and education together in a positive way, through innovative leadership and career development programs. I’ve gotten the chance to be a part of FBLA at Gateway STEM High School for two years, and became our chapter president in 2016! In the course of those two years of being in FBLA, I got the chance to participate in various activities such as going to the two-day State Leadership Conference in Springfield, finishing in the St. Louis top 5 in the 30-day Entrepreneurship Challenge where we competed for a prize of $1,000, attending a March of Dimes walk, and participating in numerous competitive and entrepreneurial events all over St. Louis. In the St. Louis 30-day Entrepreneurship Challenge I teamed up with two friends & came up with an idea for a game app called “Double Dare” where users can record and send dares to each other in a new way. The winner of the challenge though, had an idea to clean air by using special posters and had the feasibility for it, which was the key! By going to these events I got the chance to network with entrepreneurs, many of whom were older than me, and even as young as seven years old! They shared their struggles and the reality of starting a business, and how to grow to the point where business is booming. Networking with business leaders and peers is probably the most important skill you can gain
16 youth jobs
from FBLA because those leaders can give you opportunities such as working for their company, getting in touch with the right people, or even just giving you advice on building your idea. For example, I had a mentor, a millionaire business man, who helped my team go top 5 in the 30-day Entrepreneurship Challenge and also offered one of my teammates a job at his company. There are many other benefits of being a part of FBLA. You can enhance your resume and set yourself apart from others, just like I did. Including that I was FBLA president on my resume helped me get hired at three jobs! There are many college scholarship opportunities available for FBLA members, so joining can really pay off. FBLA provides other opportunities and isn’t just strictly about business. FBLA offers designing, social media, app development, and other fields of interest where you can compete to win hundreds, or thousands, of dollars. FBLA helped me figure out my career goal in graphic design, and gave me an alternative in business, in case my first choice doesn’t work. Personally, I had a great time in FBLA. I’m glad my business teacher suggested I become involved in FBLA because it opened many doors, and created many memories! Ask your local high school to see if your business classes offer FBLA. If your school doesn’t offer FBLA, ask your teacher if they would be interested in having students join the program or go on their website and see how you can join anyway! For more info visit: missourifbla.org
by Kenyae Shelton Photo courtesy of NSN
Preparing for the Professional World
Have you heard of National Sales Network’s (NSN) Backpack to Briefcase program? This program is extremely useful and prepares students for the professional world. The Backpack to Briefcase program has been proven to provide participants with the professional exposure and development necessary for success. The components of the program that make this possible include: building strong networks, navigating the career search process, surviving the new hire phase, shortening learning curves, and sustaining career pathways.
workshops on resume writing, dressing for success, interviewing, and networking.” What Njai is referring to is the five part workshop series and four different type of mock interviews within the program. The five part workshop series includes: • Networking Experiences – How to Effectively Network • Dress for Success and Corporate Etiquette Workshop • Resume Writing Corporate Communication • Interviewing Skills 101 – STAR Model • Setting Goals and Vision Plans The mock interviews consist of How to Move Past the Telephone Screening, How to Win in the Group Interview, Panel Interview Don’t Intimidate Me, and Ask Me for the Opportunity. These are all critical components toward the completion of the program. These components also provide the students with professional exposure and development.
“Backpack to Briefcase is an invaluable program designed to help college students prepare for the transition into Corporate America. I was first introduced to the program in 2010; I’d never been on any formal interview, never really attended any job fairs, networking events nor ever had any internships. I was a bright young lady, I just hadn’t done anything to prepare for life after college,” says Debbie Njai, former Backpack to Briefcase participant. “The program was a tremendous help for me. Upon graduation I was polished, I accomplished the art of networking, interviewing, and packaging up myself in a way that was very appealing to employers. I could now walk the walk and talk the talk. The program consisted of attending several corporate networking events where I would learn to “work the room”,
“I participated in the program two consecutive years and won an all-expense paid trip to their national conference my senior year. Prior to graduation I already had job offered secured thanks to the preparation and connections I made through NSN Backpack to Briefcase,” Njai states. “Throughout the last 5 years I have helped to give back and mentor incoming students into the program. The relationships built, the mentorship and the opportunity to watch someone grow into a young professional is invaluable. In fact one of my prior mentees is now one of my best friends today. NSN Backpack to Briefcase has awarded over $60,000 in scholarships and has assisted students in landing careers with several Fortune 500 companies." For more information visit: www.nsnstlouis.org youth jobs 17
Keeping Work & School in Check BUDGETING YOUR TIME by Khyle Buchanan
SCHOOL
Being a student today is a very difficult task. Between going to school and having a job, it seems as if there is a never ending stream of stress, and it takes a toll on several aspects of a teen’s life. First, it starts to feel like you never have time for yourself or friends because all of your time is put into school and work. Next thing you know work becomes overbearing and you find yourself tired and falling asleep at school. Then, you get your report card and see that your grades have fallen, and now you really don’t have time to hang with your friends. Enough is enough, and you have got to do something to solve the problem. The only problem is now you’re wondering where to start. You should start by analyzing your time management skills: Don’t outright quit your job; the steady income is definitely worth your time. Find a good balance between school, work, and free time. Don’t be afraid to ask for fewer hours at work if your hours at work are affecting your performance in school. Even go as far as communicating with your supervisor about your situation, usually they are pretty flexible with 18 youth jobs
work
employees in school. Try laying out a schedule for yourself, starting with the time school lets out and ending with the time you go to sleep. In this schedule be sure to include time for homework, projects, studying, and any extracurricular activities you participate in. Also, it is important that you include some “down” time and set a reasonable bedtime to avoid exhaustion. Once you're finished laying out a schedule for yourself, manage your time for work to balance with school and personal time as well. Prioritize effectively, but never allow time you set for one thing to overtake another unless it is absolutely necessary. If you have something important coming up, like a final exam or project, then it would be considered necessary to invest a little extra time into that at the expense of time in something else. While taking time from something else may be necessary, you should never let anything take away from your bedtime because the most important thing in balancing time between school and work, is making sure you’re well rested.
TAILOR MADE: THE ST. LOUIS SUIT PROJECT by Brock Seals Photo courtesy of The St. Louis Suit Project
As you enter the workforce for the first time, there are some professional rules you must respect. For example, the way you dress. It is important to wear business attire when working in a professional environment. As a high school student, you may not have a wardrobe filled with suits and ties. If you need to ‘get suited’, then you may want to check out The St. Louis Suit Project. The St. Louis Suit Project is a non-profit organization geared towards high school and college students who are in need of business clothing. "It's a real good thing because a lot of people don't have a proper suit that fits. Just to have a customized suit is a pretty good feeling." Said Trevor Hughes, a recent participant of the Suit Project. It is important to dress for success. First impression is everything in the professional world. Employers instantly can judge you depending on your clothing. This is why it's important to be well groomed with matching business attire. "If you're going to make a first impression, might as well be a good one. And if we can help by putting a person in a great looking suit shirt and tie, then we are doing our part." said Ben Lawler, Co-Founder and President of The St. Louis Suit Project. The St. Louis Suit Project receives many donations from shoes, ties, belts, suits etc. All donations are inspected by an experienced staff and professionally cleaned. The donated business suits are all custom fitted to the individual's measurements and their name is embroidered on the inside jacket pocket
prior to delivery. Partnering with internationally renowned custom clothier the Tom James Co., The St. Louis Suit Project is able to give its clients goldstandard treatment. If you were to buy a suit of this standard it would cost you anywhere from $350-$1300 depending on the retailer. This doesn't include accessories such as shoes and a belt. Not to mention your name being embroidered inside the jacket. The St. Louis Suit Project embroiders your name and even offers tailoring so it will be a custom fit for you! Interested in learning more? Visit: thestlouissuitproject.org
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by Malaika Charrington and Emma Iffrig What happens when a couple with two totally different passions come together through their shared love of entrepreneurship? “Love and magic.” This is something heard often at the neighborhood bakeshop/art gallery Sweet Art, a family owned business which opened in the Shaw neighborhood in 2008. Wife and husband team Reine and Cbabi Bayoc opened Sweet Art’s doors with a mission beyond just selling art and baked goods. They gave the OTM team an inside look at their business and their plan to better the community. Here’s what they had to say, including a special feature with artist Cbabi Bayoc.
Photos courtesy of Sweet Art any conventional loans in the beginning. Some small businesses get a loan which I think is smart. We were like let’s just sell as much stuff as we can sell and go for it!
On the Money Magazine: What made you want to open Sweet Art? Cbabi Bayoc: We opened Sweet Art because I needed a place to display my artwork and she wanted to have a store front. At first she was selling her stuff to Straub’s and doing things with the farmers’ market. But she wanted to have her own place to have control of quality and make sure that everything was fresh.
OTM: Tell us about your mission.
Cbabi: We want people to come in and feel like that they can be themselves. Be in a diverse environment where everybody is equal. Folks eat however they want to eat. We want to make sure that we offer a new innovative ‘healthyish’ option. And just be diverse and Reine Bayoc: I always liked cooking and baking, add some diversity to the city as well as to the city’s and I married a man with a sweet tooth so that made pallet. We strive to be a little different. me bake even more. Once we started our family, I needed something that would give me a source of Reine: The mission for me is not really about just the income, but a flexible schedule, so I started baking in baked goods. Yes we want to put out quality baked the house, that way I could see the kids. goods that are made from scratch, that are delicious and done the correct way, but we’re really community OTM: What was your journey like to get Sweet Art building. We wanted a place that would build going? community, and build an integrated community. That’s Cbabi: I had to sell all of my artwork. I raised about the mission. We want people to feel welcomed here. $18,000 doing that. Then we still borrowed and [gained] another $20,000. It was a little haul to get started. Also, it was an investment. Reine: It was so hard! It was not easy at all! When we opened, we had maybe $200 left in the bank and with three little kids that’s pretty scary! It was really financially difficult, because we didn’t take 20 entrepreneurship
Sweet Art has been around for almost eight years and they welcome everyone to their bakery! OTM definitely encourages you to check out their cupcake happy hour! Their cupcake happy hour includes $2 Tuesdays and on Wednesday’s and Thursday’s from 4-6 you can buy two get one free! For more information visit: sweetartstl.com
by Malaika Charrington Artistry is created for different reasons and in different forms. Artist, Cbabi Bayoc (Cbabi is an acronym for Creative Black Artists Battling Ignorance), has worked for 20 years to perfect his craft. He has affected the city of St. Louis and beyond by bringing social change through his art, some of which can be seen at SweetArt. In 2012, Cbabi introduced his art series 365 Days with Dad in which he created an art piece every day of that year depicting black fathers in positive ways. “People told me that it was making them think about the few good moments they had, even if they didn’t have good relationships with their dads,” Cbabi said. “People’s responses let me know how strong [the series] was, and I just kept running with it.” Cbabi’s art not only appeals to the eye, but it’s also a positive asset to the community. “As an artist, I work to put out positive images, and also work in schools with children. Especially in schools that don’t have any art programs. I talk about my series, the importance of [art culture] and living out your dreams.”
art movement. I’d love to find my way into that. Just creating some big, giant pieces. Pretty much what I’ve done, but just magnified.” Cbabi noticed a need for honest and thought provoking art in the community. He realized that by simply applying the skills he had gained over the years, he could fill the community with an abundance of amazing art to help the city come alive. For more insight on Cbabi and 365 Days with Dad, visit: cbabibayoc.com Photos courtesy of Cbabi Bayoc
For Cbabi, his next step as an artist will be to continue to affect the public in a constructive manner. “I’m doing a school program, and I really want to get into more murals. There’s this crazy street entrepreneurship 21
The Difference Art Can Make: How
Zack Smithey
Gives Back to the Community by Dominique Shields Photo courtesy of Zack Smithey Have you ever met an all-around good person that just wants to do good things in life? Meet Zachary Smithey, the creator of the Easter Art Hunt. What is the Easter Art Hunt? It’s a scavenger hunt that takes place around Easter where anyone can search for the 1,000 paintings made by Smithey and hidden in Ferguson. He hides the paintings at various locations, focusing on the local businesses in the area. “When I did the hunt in 2015, it was a personal response to what happened in Ferguson the prior fall with the Michael Brown shooting… the city was divided [and] I just wanted to be a part of the healing process and bringing people together in the community,” said Smithey when asked why he started the hunt. The dedication he has for the project is unquestionable; He spends every day in the studio for five months straight preparing his art for the hunt; He sacrifices time with family and friends to get things done. The cost of the project is over $10,000 and the money comes from his own pockets! I know what you’re thinking. “How can a person sacrifice 10 grand? His job must be dope!” Well it’s not Smithey’s job that’s dope, it’s his work ethic mixed with his impulsive tendencies for his passions. Since Smithey was a little boy, he just did what made him happy. And because of that he has done almost anything you could think of; a day trader, violinist, retired teacher, landscaper [wall retainers], and a restaurant owner. Now he focuses on the art, something that has always been the centers of all his passions.
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UNDERSTAND THAT MONEY DOESN’T GROW ON TREES by Latahjia Robinson Deletra Hudson, CEO of Deletra Hudson LLC, is a Financial Educator and the author of Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees. Hudson saw the need of financial literacy for families, and here at On the Money, we agree! We had to ask why Hudson created this book in the first place. “Financial literacy is not something that we are taught about at an early age and I think that if we can start instilling good money habits and good money practices into our youth, that’d help pour into better family structures and better communities,” Hudson says. “The title of the book is Money Doesn’t Grow On Trees because the purpose is to teach children that there is a way to earn money. There is a way to keep money. And there is a way to grow money. I refer to it as Earn, Keep, and Grow (EKG). EKG is a reminder that we should know how to discipline ourselves and treat our own money so we can have more and help it grow.” Now you may be wondering, does this book really help? “Absolutely! This book would’ve helped me better discipline myself with my own my money habits. It would help me think about how I treat my money before just going out and spending it; and thinking that money just appears out of nowhere,” Hudson says. “When I was growing up I always had a fascination with money. I always had the entrepreneurial spirit within me to be interested in making money, but I
Pictured: Deltra Hudson with reader Michael Wren
wasn’t taught about money as I grew up in my family. Also, in my household, money was not a discussion held up with children. So as a result, as I got older I had poor money habits and I was careless with the way I treated money. Until I started investing into myself by better educating myself on how to better treat money so I can have money to live the life that I desire. How did I do that? I picked out mentors. I started reading about people who had money. [I studied] their lifestyles, studied their behavior, studied how they invested and how they treated their money. As a result, I started training myself to do the same thing with my own.” For more info visit: moneydoesntgrowontrees.subscribemenow.com
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by Malaika Charrington Young Biz Kidz: An organization dedicated to equipping young kids (ages 7 to 12) with the skill and knowledge to live productive lives, and empowering them to become the entrepreneurs and the leaders of tomorrow. Kids are known to formulate some pretty wacky and creative ideas, and sometimes their ideas are very entrepreneurial. Unfortunately, many parents don’t know how to nurture those ideas or teach the entrepreneurial, and financial skills that their young children need. The business owners of tomorrow need encouragement in order to allow their enthusiastic and ambitious attitudes to blossom. Last year, Young Biz Kidz was founded by Arriel Bivens-Biggs, to fix the issue.
Bivens-Biggs has already seen changes in the ‘Young Biz Kidz’ including them being “more money and budget conscious”, and her own son finally recognizing all the work that goes into getting the money that he had so willingly spent in the past. “I feel like I’m planting a seed in this child that I feel is much needed.” Bivens-Biggs says. “I think if financial education was planted in me at an early age, some of the mistakes that I made, I wouldn’t have made. Finding out about this stuff early, even if I don’t fully understand it, I think, is key, and I think that’s what changed me and motivated me to keep going.” Many of the kids, though very young, have had lots of success through the organization. One girl at only 8 years old has sold $250 worth of merchandise.
But Bivens-Biggs doesn’t only teach the kids about “I did a survey with a group of kids, and I asked ‘Hey, business or money. She also teaches them about the what do you guys want to be when you grow up? other things that they need both in business and What are you thinking?’ Basketball player, football in life. In the monthly Young Biz Kidz workshops, player, NBA, [the responses were] all the same,” she teaches the kids about things like goal setting, Bivens-Biggs states. “If we’re taught that in order to time and resource management, respect, and how make good money, we have to play a sport, there’s to have an overall good character and attitude. She something wrong.” encourages all of the kids she works with, even if they don’t necessarily want to start a business, to Bivens-Biggs decided to instill financial literacy into understand their finances and be involved in their her son. Eventually, she had plenty of other parents community because it will undoubtedly benefit them asking her to do the same for their kids as well. She in the future, and she hopes to teach all kids and realized that her community really has a need for it, students “before you start making money you should “...just like we coach football, basketball, and other know about money, so that you know what you’re sports, we needed to teach financial literacy and going to do with that money.” For more information entrepreneurship,” says Bivens-Biggs. Young Biz Kidz on how to get involved visit www.youngbizkidz.org. is currently a small volunteer based organization that has just recently begun to see an influx of community members willing to donate and get involved.
“I think if financial education was planted in me at an early age, some of the mistakes that I made, I wouldn’t have made." 24 entrepreneurship
Biz Kid Entrepreneur: Mikey's Munchies Vending by Najee Person Photo courtesy of Mikey Young people are getting down to business early, wasting no time in starting up their own. Some are becoming entrepreneurs as early as elementary school. What’s an entrepreneur? An entrepreneur is a person who organizes and operates a business or businesses. Michael 'Mikey' Wren is an eight-year-old entrepreneur who has aspirations to be a millionaire. He’s started so far with his own vending machine company, Mikey’s Munchies. While most eight years olds are excited to get money from their parents to purchase a candy bar, Mikey took matters into his own hands to supply snacks everyone wants. When Mikey first started off as an entrepreneur, he had intentions to purchase vending machines filled with popular brand name snacks. But after being told he was too young to properly handle a vending machine company he went back to the drawing board and came up with a new plan to where he was trying to go.
earnings from selling lemonade and put it into his first business idea. He researched and wrote a business plan, and soon Mikey was offered a place where he could place two of his vending machines. Mikey is truly a phenomenal young man filled with wisdom beyond his years. He already has plans on giving back, and even where he plans to be five years from now. Mikey’s vending machine is filled with all types of name brand snacks that are hard to resist. He is an example of a person who is truly determined to accomplish what he sets out to do. There is no doubt in my mind that Mikey will continue to be a huge success story no matter what age he is. For more information visit Mikey’s Munchies on Facebook!
Mikey partnered up with a friend and started selling lemonade. With pure will and determination, Mikey and his partner were able to raise $1,200. The ordinary person doesn’t earn that much money until he or she gets a regular paying job. Mikey and his partner, after raising money from the lemonade stand, donated ten percent of their earnings to a local non-profit organization. After this, Mikey felt like he was ready to venture off into his original plan with vending machines. Mikey learned early that it is important to know when to invest in yourself. After convincing his parents that he was ready, he took some of his
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Legally Trappin: Styling the Community & Making a Profit by Tubias Johnson Photo by Alex White Meet Armon ‘Wiz Kidd’ Harris, the Founder of Think Smart Apparel. You may know this name already seeing that he has reached a national level and even international but here at On the Money Magazine – St. Louis, we see that Think Smart Apparel has the potential to be a worldwide brand. Wiz Kidd has discovered an untouched market within music, fashion and entrepreneurship; and plugged in something that reaches common grounds for people regardless of creed, economic status, or age. Ambition is the foundation that built Think Smart Apparel. Despite any obstacles Wiz Kidd has faced in life, he shows us that all it takes is self-evaluation and determination to build from it. Wiz Kidd is encouraging positivity while styling the community with a powerful background message which brings us back to his brand, Think Smart.
OTM: Who/What influenced you to do fashion? Wiz Kidd: Once I had my son in 2010, my goals and my dreams started to become bigger [than just me]. At that time, I was financially struggling. I knew that I wanted to [one day] put my son through college. I decided “What was something I could do?” Only two minutes into the interview and Wiz has already brought the impact fatherhood has brought to his life to the forefront. It’s safe to say that becoming a father introduced the Saint Louis native to a whole new wave on how to influence the younger generation. It’s clear that he saw a need for positivity in trendy clothing and he made that his business to fulfill while also building a profit for himself outside of his 9-5. “A lot of brands that you buy into are [successful] because of the popularity or the names behind it. I thought that Think Smart was a broad message that people can relate to, you know?” explains Wiz Kidd. A popular series within Think Smart is known as Legally Trappin. While you may be familiar with trappin one way, Wiz Kidd puts a positive spin on it.
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OTM: What does ‘Legally Trappin’ mean and how did it come about? Wiz Kidd: ‘Legally Trappin’ is creating a legal hustle to provide for yourself and your family that can be passed down for generations to come. Trappin was always associated with standing on the corner, and all type of bad things. I hustle all the time, every day, but I don’t sell drugs. I hustle in a legal way. I go to work. That’s the meaning behind ‘Legally Trappin.’ You can find Think Smart apparel online at ThinkSmartApparel.com which is a Squarespace site. Squarespace not only allows you to create a website very easily, but clearly you can earn money just like Wiz Kidd! Don’t waste those skills you have. Give all of your social media followers something to purchase positively like Wiz Kidd! His hustle is very inspirational. Having confidence to stand by your product is what lures others towards your business. Wiz Kidd has lured us to his business, will you? For more information on Wiz Kidd’s apparel, visit: ThinkSmartApparel.com For more information on a starting website, visit: Squarespace.com
Show Me Arts Academy: Spreading Love & Art
by Kawan Yarbrough
Meet Marty Casey, Founder of Show Me Arts Academy serving people as young as five years old up to now 19 years old through art. “I founded Show Me Arts Academy about two years ago due to the unrest in Ferguson. August 9, 2014 at 12:03pm, my life changed just like many others. We were impacted by Ferguson and the death of Mike Brown. It was important for me as an artist, to really evaluate where we have gone wrong,” Casey states. “How have we failed our children in the communities? What could we do to make a difference, so that this would never happen to another child regardless of the events that led up to it? The bottom line is we have a death of an 18 year old who just graduated from high school. It was important for me to take a really good look at that and in doing so, I wanted to give back in any way I possibly could. It was by providing a free arts program for children in communities that are underserved or underprivileged.” Show Me Arts Academy has traveled the city of St. Louis, serviced over 1200 children, all while offering their six cores of discipline: Theatre, Music, Dance, DJ Engineering, Visual Arts, and Poetry. Just when you thought Show Me Arts Academy completed everything they wanted to, Casey added another aspect which is known as the Spreading the Love Youth Tour. “We just [completed] a tour to Washington DC, New Jersey and New York. We
Photos courtesy of SMAA
Pictured: Marty Casey, Founder of Show Me Arts Academy
kicked off our concert here in St. Louis. Twenty youth were auditioned and chosen to go and do these free concerts all over different cities [around the country],” says Casey. “We have three children that are a part of the Spreading the Love Youth Tour that are from the Ferguson area. I had an opportunity to sit down with Emerson and The City of Ferguson and they loved the idea of what we were trying to do and they got behind us and provided the finances for it to happen. We’re talking about thousands of dollars to make that happen, but when you look at again the impact that it has on each child for a life-time, it’s priceless.” For more info on how to catch up with Show Me Arts Academy visit: showmeartsacademy.com
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Partner Spotlight St. Louis Regional Unbanked Task Force continues its commitment to provide financial education to youth through creating partnerships and collaborations in the community. Many of our partners are working collaboratively in schools, boys and girls clubs and other youth-focused organizations to provide quality financial education at an early age. One such partnership that we would like to highlight is the Man of Valor, Inc., partnership with University City Recreation Division, Royal Banks of Missouri and Bank On Save Up St. Louis. This collaborative provided a four week financial literacy program for twenty (20) youth ages 11-14. Teens in this program experienced fun and exciting ways to manage and save money this summer. The summer program participants will take part in a curriculum from the FDIC Money Smart Program.
Royal Banks of Missouri and Man of Valor, Inc. provided staff for the financial education component of the summer program. This was a fun way to help teens get smart about money. Our topics ranged from boost your savings to learning the importance of saving for college to opening a bank account. Each youth who participated in this program received a college savings account funded by a grant from the St. Louis Equal Housing and Community Reinvestment Alliance, and matched by Royal Bank of Missouri. There will be incentives throughout the year for these students to learn and earn additional deposits. We believe this is a program that can be a model program, and hope to see many other programs such as this in the coming summers.
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Money Saving Tips from Financial Eric Madkins Assistant Vice President Midwest Area Community Affairs Manager, Regions Bank Save money as much as possible, and understand needs vs. wants. At a young age, it is easy to think about wants over needs, but over time it’s important to differentiate the two. Also, you should invest in something long term, so your money would be able to grow for you when it's time for college or even retirement.
LaTanya Reeves Community Development Officer, Enterprise Bank & Trust Impulse buying is never worth it. It’s very much like a gamble. When people gamble there’s like a 1 in 100,000 or 1 million chance of winning; and in my mind that’s how impulse buying is. It’s only worth it 1 in 100,000 times you do it, other than that it’s a complete waste.
Phillip Sangokoya CDC Asset Manager - New Markets Historic Tax Credits, USBancorp Community Development Corporation Find a part time [job] at a bank. Working at a bank will teach you more about finance than school.Have a strategy for budgeting as well. With the rate environment as it is today, I would say It's more about budgeting rather than saving. My strategy for budgeting is hiding as much money from myself as possible. I use different bank accounts, savings accounts and direct deposits. Cheryl Walker Community Relations Officer, Stifel Bank & Trust Don’t blow your money on non-essentials. You’ll have time to do that in the future. While you’re young, stack the money and have goals for each penny that you save. And if I won the lottery or earned a lump sum of money, I would diversify it. I would buy an investment property with some of it; I would go to Warren Buffet’s page and see what he invested in and invest in some of those things. I would take another part of it and put it in an emergency fund. Then I’ll take another part of it and give it, maybe to help out homeless shelters for teens. So I would give some, save some, invest some, and spend some. 30
partnerships
and Community Partners Sherri Nicholson Community Services Liaison, Urban Strategies, Inc. If you won $50,000 today, what would you do? I definitely would like to do something for charity. I’m a social worker so I want to give back to something. I’d also pay up some bills. I have a child that’s going to college right now, and I'm teaching her about college costs and the importance of saving. Emily Stuart Coordinator of Program Evaluation, Kingdom House Do you have a strategy for saving money? I set a savings goal for every month. I move money out of my checking account into my savings account once a month to reach my savings goal. You never know if something is going to pop up. That has been the best saving strategy for me. I try to be really intentional about reaching my savings goal. Evangelist Phyllis Roseboro Financial Literacy Outreach Ministry, Temple Church of Christ How has your younger self, taught you how to be more financially literate as an adult? When I was younger, I wasn’t financially literate. If I needed to advise my younger self, I’d tell my younger self to put my money in a bank and not under the mattress. I am now the Founder and Instructor of the Money Matters class at Temple Church of Christ and the class’ goal is to help people make financial decisions and also circumvent predatory lenders. Carla Reid Financial Well Being Coach, Operation Hope If you could give your younger self financial advice, what would it be? It doesn’t matter how much you save, it’s about getting into the habit and mindset of saving money every time you have an income coming in. Also, get into the habit of reading the fine print to see exactly what you're getting yourself into when you start to apply for credit cards, open different accounts and more. Keithen Stallings Board of Directors , 100 Black Men St. Louis How do you feel about saving? Do you have a strategy to save money? Saving is really important. My ultimate goal is to at least put away 20 percent of my income every month. Short term is: winter's coming; I need four new tires for my car. Intermediate; I need to get my basement remodeled. A long term is getting my son or daughter through school. partnerships 31
On the Money Saint Louis is a financially focused magazine developed and published by teens, for teens from throughout the Saint Louis region. Our online and in-print magazine seeks to promote financial empowerment from a youth perspective through journalism, photography, visual art, interviews and featured articles on youth jobs, culture, finance, and entrepreneurship. With engaging content, we are seeking to influence teens towards positive and sustainable financial decision-making for themselves, their peers and their families. Our magazine is focused on defining a new narrative around finance, one that captures the attention of teens in order to instill greater financial literacy and capability as they transition into adulthood.
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Khyle Buchanan, 18 Soldan International Studies High School, Graduate
Malaika charrington, 16 Metro Academic and Classical High School, Junior
Emma Iffrig, 18 Grand Center Arts Academy, Graduate
emmanuel Logan, 21 Oral Roberts University, Senior
Tubias johnson, 18 Lift for Life Academy, Graduate
Latahjia Robinson, 17 Central VPA High School, Junior
kayla towns, 17 Central VPA High School, Senior
leonora duvolli, 18 Gateway STEM High School, Graduate
Kenyae shelton, 17 Collegiate School of Medicine and Bio Science, Junior
Kawan Yarbrough, 18 Grand Center Arts Academy, Graduate
Staff 35
February 27th - March 4th
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www.MoneySmartStLouis.org Learn how to budget, how to save, how to build or repair your credit, prevent identity theft, save for college, a car, or retirement. Follow @moneysmartstl
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