“While we were researching, we found out that kids don’t really get much financial literacy, and it seemed like a smart idea to teach them earlier so they have that knowledge when they are growing up.”
Walking back into Northridge Elementary School, Kyndal McVay experienced a full-circle moment. Once a student in those classrooms, she returned this year to help lead a financial literacy class with her classmates from Francis Tuttle Technology Center.
“I grew up going to school there, learning there, and then I got to go there and teach the kids myself,” McVay said. “I felt like it was a very cool experience.”
Through Francis Tuttle’s Business Marketing and Management program, McVay, a senior from Putnam City North High School, teamed up with Fernanda Esparza, a Putnam City High School senior, and Julio Romero Fernandez, a Deer Creek High School junior. Together they created “Cash Class,” a hands-on financial literacy program designed for elementary students, for their DECA project.
The trio earned first place at the Oklahoma DECA State Career Development Conference in February, qualifying them to compete at the DECA International Career Development Conference April 25-28 in Atlanta.
The idea of Cash Class began when McVay explored DECA project options and was drawn to financial literacy, in part because of her interest in becoming a teacher. She then recruited Esparza and Romero Fernandez to build the project as a team. From there, the group began researching age-appropriate ways to teach financial literacy to younger students.
“We knew stuff about finance, but we didn’t know how to teach finance,” McVay explained. “We researched to see what would be the best way to go about teaching. We came up with worksheets and activities for the kids to do.”
Romero Fernandez, who wants to pursue finance after high school, said his own experience motivated him to be part of this project.
“I was really only taught financial literacy during my freshman year of high school,” he explained. “While we were researching, we found out that kids don’t really get much financial literacy, and it seemed like a smart idea to teach them earlier so they have that knowledge when they are growing up.”
Prior to the state competition, the students led a total of six classes, one for a fourth-grade class and the others for fifth-grade classes, across two elementary schools. Their lessons focused on practical concepts such as needs versus wants and budgeting. After early sessions, they adjusted their material to match what students already understood.
“We realized they knew some about investing,” Romero Fernandez said. “We made a different worksheet where they were able to pay rent, buy cars, pay phone bills, and also put money in banks and invest.”
McVay said the group received positive feedback overall, and suggestions from teachers were helpful for improving the classes. For example, the first teacher encouraged them to add a callback to help the kids stay focused while transitioning from one activity to the next. They added that in for future classes, and McVay said it helped the class go smoother.
Participating in DECA not only gave Esparza, McVay, and Romero Fernandez an opportunity to impact younger students but also to grow personally. In addition to implementing the program, the DECA project required the group to create a 20-page written document and an 18-slide presentation explaining the project.
“I wanted to participate in DECA because I kind of wanted to put myself out there,” Esparza shared. “I wasn’t really the type of person to compete in things, but because it was my last years in high school, I wanted to do something different and get better at talking with people and presenting.”
As the team prepares to compete on the international stage, McVay said the experience has already made a lasting impact.
“DECA and this program are important to me because I got to try something that I probably never would have done at my home high school, just because I have access to more resources here,” McVay said. “Honestly, I never would have done something like this before because it’s really nerve-wracking, but I’m very happy that I put myself out there.”