HBK Accountants Teach Healthy Financial Habits
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio -- Fifth and sixth grade students at Poland Middle School will soon be making big spending, saving and budgeting decisions thanks to a special lesson taught by CPAs from Hill, Barth & King LLC.
CPAs Jennifer Preisse, Kyle Melewski and Lauren Ausmann all took part in the exercise Nov. 16. The program, Financial Education Teaches Children Healthy Habits, is presented to school children throughout November as part of a statewide financial literacy program created by The Ohio Society of CPAs and The Ohio CPA Foundation. The classroom board game teaches children smart money skills that CPAs hope they will use to make smart financial decisions as adults.
The game is set in a dog park and teaches students about managing the finances involved with owning a pet. With each turn, they use critical math and thinking skills to earn money for basics items such as a collar, and they also learn how to budget for unplanned expenses and save money for the future. The scenario is simple: If your dog learns a new trick, you earn cash. If your pet gets sick, the vet bill can put you in the red and keep you from buying an essential item.
The game shows children that sometimes you must delay buying what you want right now so that you can afford what you need later. Ultimately, the team of school children that purchases certain items (including a bone, bowl, leash and collar) and saves the most money along the way earns the title of “Top Dog."
“This is a fun way to teach children the basics of managing money,” said James Dascenzo, CPA and principal in charge of HBK's Youngstown office. “They have to make tough choices about when to spend their money or save it and how that impacts their ability to meet future goals.”
The game was created by The Ohio Society of CPAs and its charitable affiliate, The Ohio CPA Foundation with guidance from elementary teachers and a curriculum developer. It includes a testing component to gauge if students have mastered a basic understanding of financial terms. Click here to see a video of the game or visit www.cpasintheclassroom.com
HBK ranks as the 83rd largest public accounting firm in the nation. The firm serves clients in 12 offices located throughout Pennsylvania, Ohio and Florida.
Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.