South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis recently recognized Cindy Howard and Katie Guthrie of Gateway Elementary School in Travelers Rest as the March Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program Educators of the Month.

Howard, Gateway school counselor, and Guthrie, computer lab instructor for related arts, form the team that provides fourth and fifth graders with meaningful lessons designed to teach the basic concepts of personal finance and demonstrate their application in real-life situations.

“Financial literacy is an essential tool for economic success, so we are grateful for instructors like Ms. Howard and Ms. Guthrie who are teaching students how to make sound financial decisions at a young age,” Treasurer Loftis said.  “I enjoy hearing how students are using these important lessons to shape their spending and saving habits now while preparing for an increasingly complex financial system in the future.”

The Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program is a web-based, interactive program that uses the Vault Program, powered by Everfi, to engage students and make learning financial skills interesting and fun. Gateway Elementary has participated in the program for three years.

“Our students talk about how the Vault program has taught them to start saving money for a new pair of shoes or for vacation spending money,” Howard said. “I love that this knowledge is not only helping them make great choices now but will also impact their future for years to come.”

“I am inspired by our students’ excitement as they learn how much the money they save now can make a difference long term,” Guthrie added. “I think it’s important for our kids to know they can plan for their future at a young age,” she explained.

The Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program, a web-based financial management course focused on skill building, budgeting and decision-making, is offered to elementary and middle schools across the state at no cost to taxpayers.

Approximately 30,000 South Carolina students and 267 schools have participated in the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program since it was launched in 2015.