California high school students will eventually be required to take a personal finance course to graduate, but one Vacaville teen is already learning how quickly money can disappear.<\/p>\n
During Travis Credit Union’s Generation Wealth Workshop, incoming Vacaville High School freshman Nathan Neff spent the day navigating adulthood through a hands-on financial simulation.<\/p>\n
A hands-on lesson in budgeting\u00a0<\/p>\n
Students in the workshop are assigned a job, salary, credit score and family situation. From there, they have to build a budget and make everyday financial decisions, including where to live, how to get around and what clothes they can afford.<\/p>\n
Nathan quickly discovered that limited money forces difficult choices.<\/p>\n
“I’m low on money,” he said while weighing whether he could afford certain purchases.<\/p>\n
The exercise also included unexpected financial setbacks. When Nathan was hit with a simulated speeding ticket, his budget took another hit.<\/p>\n
“I lost $180,” he said.<\/p>\n
Workshop organizers said those scenarios help students better understand the importance of planning.<\/p>\n
“All students get to really understand what it takes to have a solid plan,” said Steward Pimienta, community engagement officer with Travis Credit Union.<\/p>\n
California’s new personal finance graduation requirement<\/p>\n
The lessons come as California prepares to expand financial education statewide. Beginning with the 2027-28 school year, all high schools will be required to offer a personal finance course. Starting with the graduating class of 2031, students will be required to complete the course to earn a diploma.<\/p>\n
For Nathan’s mother, Nicole Neff, the change is long overdue.<\/p>\n
“The most we got was how to fill out a check, and that’s obsolete at this point,” she said.<\/p>\n
She believes many young people do not fully understand the value of money until they are responsible for managing it themselves.<\/p>\n
“They think it just comes out of a hat, but you have to work for it and save properly,” she said.<\/p>\n
Why money lessons matter before graduation<\/p>\n
Pimienta, a first-generation college student, said many families are still learning financial literacy on their own. He hopes programs like Generation Wealth can help close that gap.<\/p>\n
“A lot of these things weren’t really taught, definitely not in school,” he said. “If we’re able to change the trajectory of one student’s life, that means the world to us.”<\/p>\n
After a day of stretching a budget, dealing with debt and paying for unexpected expenses, Nathan said he is already thinking differently about his future.<\/p>\n
“I want to save as much as possible and use it later in the future,” he said.<\/p>\n
For organizers, that mindset is exactly the goal.\u00a0<\/p>\n