“Financial Literacy Reading Program A Success with Youth at Public Library in Hardin County”

Over the last year, the economy has changed for areas within Kentucky. Hardin County will see a difference in how a lot of grocery stories and companies raise their prices in order to keep up with inflation. In order to keep up with the transition schools and public community organizations are looking for alternative options to teach the youth about finances and money. The local public library and Kentucky State University family and consumer science agent collaborated to offer some classes to meet the need within the community to offer a financial education program geared towards youth ages (10-16).  Some of the youth within Hardin county are attending schools where financial literacy is being taught. However, some of the schools within the area do not teach financial literacy in the classroom due to other educational needs for each school.  In order to address this need, the family and consumer science extension agent taught a series of financial literacy reading classes to youth during the summer months.

    From about June 2023 to July 2023, a financial reading program was offered at the public library where youth found out about the origins of money, how to earn money, and how to save money. The youth that were involved in this program were in the 4th to 8th grade.  The youth were introduced to a book list that featured books such as, “Follow the Money,” by Loreen Leady, “Pigs will Be Pigs,” by Fun with Math & Money by Amy Axelrod, and “My Piles and Rows of Coins,” by Tololwa M. Mollel author & Illustrator, E.B. Lewis.  As a part of the financial literacy program, the public library provided copies of the books from the book lists to the youth who participated in the program. If there was a book that was not available the library could order the book for the child to have access to read it. 

As a part of the program the book’s that were selected introduced some history as to what money is and how money can be traced using various symbols and numbers printed on the money.  After the youth learned what they numbers on the money meant, they were very excited to find out that they can now locate where their money comes from within the United States and where it is made.  In addition, the youth listened to a book about a little boy who wanted to earn money to purchase a bicycle so that his mom would not have to walk to the grocery store everyday. So the story taught the youth about how to save money and it also taught them the art of delayed gratification, in order to learn how to earn and save for something that is needed or a gift to show appreciation for caring for a parent or loved one. In addition, the youth engaged in price comparison activities where they were able to compare prices on menu items to determine which items cost more and which items cost too much money for the value of the food item.   

There was a total of about 60 program participants who participated in the program. Out of the 4th to 8th graders who were surveyed and asked what concepts they learned from participating in the program about 85-90% of the program participants agreed that they did enjoy being read to about the concept of money. About 90% of the audience stated that they learned some concepts around saving money. The youth that participated in this program were able to get some key foundational information on the concept of where money originated from and how it can be used for purchase goods and services. This program was a great success and many of the youth expressed interest in wanting to have a summer reading program on the subject of money again in the near future. This program has seen a high interest in more parents, schools, and community groups wanting more programs on the subject of financial literacy.  

In the future, there will be a higher need to have more classes such as this one that is being taught to youth and also to teenagers and adults.  As inflation plagues our society with higher prices and the same wages over the next few years, people within our society will have to learn how to do more with less. We will continue to offer programs in the county that educate our youth and families about saving money and about how to create a budget that works for every unique family! 

Pictured Above: Program participants engage in reading activity.

Pictured Above: Youth participants and parents engage in activity Needs vs. Wants.

Pictured Above: Some of the books & activity guides that were featured for the program, Reading Makes Cents.

Pictured Above: Youth and parents engage in activity on the history of money.