Preparing Teens for the Future

Public high school students in Connecticut must now complete a personal financial management and financial literacy course to graduate, but Liberty Bank was helping teens prepare for the “real world” at Credit for Life Fairs long before such a requirement. That work continues today, and Sofiana Sheriff helps make these fairs possible.

Sheriff, a commercial underwriter, has volunteered at several Credit for Life Fairs. The goal is to help teens better understand what to expect when they graduate high school.

Team Liberty partners with the Student Financial Education Initiative, a nonprofit organization, to bring the Credit for Life Fairs to high schools and organizations, such as public libraries, located in the bank’s footprint. The students use a smartphone app to simulate real-world scenarios. Using the app, they choose a career they are interested in and make decisions based on their hypothetical finances, needs and wants. For example, should they buy a house or rent? Should they go on a big vacation? This exercise helps them learn how choices impact a budget and shows them what they could do differently.  

Participants get a lot out of the program and so do the volunteers, said Pamela Days-Luketich, Vice President, Community Development Team Lead. “It’s a rewarding opportunity,” she said. “The teens appreciate it and seek advice. When someone is done volunteering with the fair, they feel like they helped someone.”

The experience has certainly been a positive one for Sheriff, who says he always wants the teens to understand the importance of doing something – of making choices. The volunteer opportunity allows Sheriff to flex his knowledge on certain topics, and it gives him insight into what students are learning.

“I’m always eager to answer any questions they might have,” he said.

Sheriff is so eager to help that he has followed up with teachers after Credit for Life Fairs. He believes volunteering when you are able is important. “Everyone has their own circumstances, and life can get in the way, but if everyone volunteers some of their time, we will be better off,” he said.