Albert Gallatin HS recognized for financial literacy program
Albert Gallatin Area High School has been recognized for its groundbreaking financial literacy curriculum, a program that鈥檚 been in place for a decade.
鈥淚 think it鈥檚 important to recognize schools like this one that are teaching financial literacy because you鈥檙e ahead of the curve and you haven鈥檛 waited for someone to tell you to do it,鈥� state Auditor General Timothy DeFoor told school officials Thursday.
The financial literacy course, which started in 2014, was initially developed as an alternative math class. Anne Marie Koss, one of the three financial literacy teachers who helped create and shape the program, said the curriculum was based around practical situations students may need after graduating.
鈥淲e talked about how to do banking, how to buy a car, how to get an apartment, how to take care of your credit, how to do your taxes,鈥� she said. 鈥淲e鈥檙e teaching them life (skills), and it was a lot of fun.鈥�
Building upon the success of financial classes, starting this year, the high school has required all freshmen students to take a financial literacy class in order to graduate.
The class touches on the same topics but does not go into as much depth as Koss鈥檚 class.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a great starter class. Not only does it give them the basic skills they will need for the future, but it also kind of feeds into my class,鈥� she said.
Starting in the 2026-27 school year, Pennsylvania will require all public schools to teach a half-credit of personal financial literacy as a graduation requirement.
The new requirement appears to be something both local and state officials agree on.
鈥淥ne of the things I鈥檓 most proud of being part of is the effort to make sure that financial literacy is a graduation requirement,鈥� DeFoor said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 why I came here to recognize you today, to thank you.鈥�
State Rep. Charity Grimm Krupa, who was also present during DeFoor鈥檚 visit, thanked district officials for 鈥渓eading in the charge鈥� in making financial literacy a requirement for graduation. She also heaped praise on the school鈥檚 innovative curriculum.
Grimm said her niece was enrolled in the freshman financial literacy class, and during one of the home budgeting lessons, learned first-hand the realities of financial planning.
鈥淎t the end of the month (my niece) said 鈥業 only had $40 left,鈥� Krupa said. 鈥淪he was just learning the sheer basics and it was a wonderful eye opener for her.鈥�
School board president Ryan Porupski and vice president Jeff Myers said they appreciated DeFoor鈥檚 visit and were very grateful for the hard work done by the teachers and administrators.
鈥淚t was a great showing,鈥� Myers said. 鈥淥ur district was very proactive in the approach they took when developing the curriculum, and a lot of time that takes thinking outside the box. I鈥檓 proud that instead of being mandated we鈥檝e been teaching financial literacy for approximately a decade already.鈥�