Teens Learn Financial Basics at WOLF

By Dodie Manuel

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community’s Community Recreational Services (CRS) Program at the Way of Life Center (WOLF) is hosting a series of classes on financial skills for teens. The classes are for WOLF members and teens ages 13 to 19 and take place on Thursdays throughout September at the WOLF.

Teens Learn Financial Basics at WOLF — Financial advisors from the Providence First: Trust Company introduce the youth in attendance to financial planning, during their first class at the Way of Life Facility on Sept. 1.

“Every month we try to offer various topics at the Way of Life Facility, because we have been tasked to create classes that bring instructors from within and outside of the Community,” said Melissa Rave, Recreation education manager. “This class fits within our goal to offer classes that are practical to various age groups, such as teens in [this] case.”

She said the financial skills class is part of her department’s initiative to educate youth on how to manage their finances. “There is an outlined curriculum [and] we are hoping to hit different topics that cover a lot of information. Some of the information is based on what [teens] are interested in,” said Rave.

The classes will last around 90 minutes, and, according to Rave, the idea is to have youth come away with a better understanding of money management as they start to enter the job force and go to college.

Youth who participate in all five of the classes will receive movie passes to Harkins Theaters and a certificate of completion. Although the students receive an incentive for their participation, Rave said, “We want them to come away with a good understanding of where they get started as far as their financial ventures, because they have a real opportunity to benefit in so many ways [regarding] how they manage their money.”

When September’s round of financial skills classes concludes, the WOLF will consider offering classes on other subjects for Community members. “When September concludes, we plan to switch topics and gain more interest with our members. We are really trying to maintain a consistent [schedule] of classes that would be offered each month, and we’re reaching out to our members to get an idea [of] what types of subjects they [are interested in],” said Rave.

Individuals interested in attending future classes at the WOLF through CRS can contact Melissa Rave at (480) 362-6696 for more information. The WOLF Facebook page has the latest updates on classes and activities at SRPMIC Way of Life Facility.