ST. JOHNS, Fla. – First Florida Credit Union is hosting a free, weeklong day camp for teenagers to develop financial knowledge and skills at its St. Johns branch.
The goal is to give area teens a head start on a better financial future.
"We just got some great news out of Tallahassee, that financial education is going to be included in schools in Florida in the future. But it's not there yet and so we want to make sure that we're educating teens as a supplement to the education they're receiving in school," said Ashleigh Robinson, a community relations specialist with First Florida Credit Union.
Teens between the ages of 13 and 16 attended Camp C.E.O., which teaches students about budgeting, building credit and entrepreneurialism.
"It's not, like, avoidable. It's going to be in everyone's future, and I feel like it could either be a really good thing or a really bad thing, depending on how you handle it. I feel like it's really good to learn how to make it a really good thing," said Riley O'Keefe, a Camp C.E.O. attendee.
O'Keefe encourages students to step out of their comfort zones to learn something new, especially when it comes to learning lifelong lessons involving finances.
Robinson said parents can teach their kids financial literacy by having a simple conversation.
"Bring them into the discussion of your monthly budget, or you help them understand what it takes to pay for groceries, to manage your checking or savings account at your financial institution. Those things can be key and really stick with them in the long run," Robinson said.
Camp C.E.O. at the credit union's St. Johns branch began Monday and runs through Friday.
Click here for more information on financial literacy and to find out when the next financial camp for teens will be.