LIVE OAK, CA (MPG) - In addition to reading, math and science, students at Luther Elementary School in Live Oak can now add financial literacy to their academic portfolio.

This new offering is from the Junior Vestors program, a financial literacy program created by a husband-and-wife team with local roots. Lulu and Martin Curiel live in Mountain View, California. While Lulu was born and raised in Venezuela, Martin is a Live Oak native and Luther Elementary alumnus.

The venture was born during the pandemic when the Curiel’s own children began online schooling. The parents gained an insight into what their children were learning and discovered that financial education was lacking. They were also struck by the number of young adults who struggled with debt and lacked basic money management skills. “Being a high school or college graduate doesn’t mean you have the skills for being successful in the 21st century.” Says Lulu Curiel. The parents took it upon themselves to fill in this gap and before long were teaching their children’s friends as well. Before long the couple decided that they wanted this opportunity to be available for more young people and the Junior Vestors program was born.

Junior Vestors is a virtual program and now has students from throughout the country. The Curiels wanted to offer the course at Luther Elementary due to Martin’s local roots. A teacher in the after-school program helped facilitate the in-person components.

For six weeks in January and February, the class comprised of 4th and 5th graders met and learned about investing, financial portfolios and the stock market. Rather than using a traditional lecture method, the curriculum included hands on activities designed to make learning engaging and relevant. Students used substitute currency and Lulu jokes that “No real money was harmed in the process.”

The program was a success and received positive feedback from both parents and students. There are plans to offer a follow-up course in the near future.