MHS Students Learn Real-World Math Concepts from Hershey Trust Partners
Regardless of which career choice Milton Hershey School students make, math will be a constant in their lives. The school’s partners at Hershey Trust Company recently helped Middle Division teachers explain the importance of saving money, understand the basics of investing, and recognize potential career opportunities within the field.
Trust Deputy Chief Investment Officer Josh Shannon and MHS Curriculum Supervisor for Mathematics David Yingst developed a five-week curriculum that introduced concepts such as budgets, savings, interests, stocks, and bonds. Students also learned the purpose of companies and how they relate to personal savings strategies.
Shannon and Trust Manager Liz Anderson shared with students how their money can grow over time when properly invested. For example, if a student saves $1,800 for five years beginning when they get their first job at age 14, that money has the potential to grow to more than $42,000 by the time they are 30 years old.
Anderson kept the goals realistic by explaining to students that it might not be as easy to save when they are 16 years old and want to buy a car or when they are in their early 20s and funding their independence. However, she said, saving as much as possible when you can will lead to beneficial long-term results.
Yingst added that it is important to introduce these concepts to children in middle school because they are just beginning to explore potential career paths.
“That exposure can create a spark, and you don’t know where that spark can lead to,” Yingst said.
Having professionals who work in the field become directly involved in the lesson planning and delivery is an asset to teachers and students.
“Their partnership is invaluable,” Middle Division teacher Megan Brown said. “Getting the kids to see the direct real-world impact creates that buy-in immediately. It also creates a deeper real-world understanding.”
Landon Hippo, an MHS eighth grader, said he has been interested in financial literacy for some time, and the special curriculum helped him to deepen his knowledge base on the topic. He also credited Brown for providing him with additional information when he proved to fully understand a particular topic.
“She always challenges me to go further,” Hippo said.