Though the tide is slowly turning, not enough schools are offering financial literacy education to students, and I don’t know of any states that require it for graduation. Some states may not feel like there’s room or resources to teach this vital skill to students, but creative teachers and schools can find a way.

 

This week on the podcast, I’m talking with Brian Curcio, co-founder of the financial literacy tool Rapunzl. It was founded to provide education about investing through fun and free investment competitions with scholarships and cash prizes. And because of the way it was built, students can learn about financial literacy both in and out of the classroom, opening up the possibilities and creating more accessibility.

 

It’s time for life skills to take priority in the classroom and this is just the beginning of what I hope will be a tidal wave of tools to do just that.

 

About Brian Curcio:

 

Brian fell in love with the world of investing in high school and quickly developed a passion for financial education after teaching his peers about the stock market. Over time, they realized that ordinary investors have paid a price to learn to invest; and that price typically was real money ending up in Wall Street’s pocket. Rapunzl was founded to provide an unparalleled investing education through fun (and free) investment competitions with scholarship and cash prizes.

  Jump in the Conversation:

 

[1:35] - Where Brian’s passion for his work started

[2:49] - What students are currently getting in terms of financial literacy

[4:28] - What students should learn about financial literacy

[6:06] - Making financial literacy more attainable for learners

[7:37] - What teachers need to know to support students through the platform

[9:36] - Teaching financial literacy without a dedicated block in the school day

[11:16] - Teachers don’t have to be the expert

[14:12] - Project based learning and growing soft skills

[15:34] - What parents can do to help kids get more established with financial literacy

[18:40] - Award-winning tool

[22:27] - Turbo Time

[25:04] - How others can be activists and transform schools

[26:38] - Brian’s Magic Wand

[29:07] - Maureen’s Takeaways

  Links & Resources

 

Rapunzl Investments

Yass Prize 

Follow Rapunzl on Twitter

Connect with Rapunzl on LinkedIn

Follow Rapubzl on Facebook

Follow Rabunzl on Instagram

Email Maureen

Maureen’s TEDx: Changing My Mind to Change Our Schools

The Education Evolution

Facebook: Follow Education Evolution

Twitter: Follow Education Evolution

LinkedIn: Follow Education Evolution

EdActive Collective

Maureen’s book: Creating Micro-Schools for Colorful Mismatched Kids

Micro-school feature on Good Morning America

The Micro-School Coalition

Facebook: The Micro-School Coalition

LEADPrep

Twitter Mentions