Submitted via a video link.

I recognize that schools aren't focused on educating children on financial responsibility. While I was always fortunate that my parents have been decently educated on finances, and a lot of the information they've held carried on to me, I have seen how education does not emphasize it. The first ever full lesson I had about finances was in the 6th grade (over Microsoft Teams seeing as this was in 2020, during COVID) and a presenter was invited to introduce us to a financial simulator. This sort of game gave you a random life circumstance, and you learn how to invest, save, make smart choices, and survive. I was given the life circumstance of being a single mother who didn't attend college or university. I did my best to stay afloat, but even with making decently responsible choices I watched my character slowly fall into a deeper hole of debt and stress. My friend was given a young kid who was sent to college and was getting a degree while coming from a poor home. After they got their degree, they started making money that freed them. It opened my eyes on one - bodily responsibility - but also how having a degree and working hard in school is crucial to being successful. I do not come from a wealthy family, I know what it's like to live on EBT and food stamps. My parents did not complete college, and because this they can only make so much to support me and my brother. Recently, my brother has been attending college. I'm so incredibly proud of him for working hard (he graduated from my schools IB Diploma Program and graduated Salutatorian, I am currently in that program as well) and making it far, but I have seen how financial stress of keeping him in college has affected us all. I have a passion; a strong need to push myself and become successful. But this year, my brother almost couldn't continue. I am going to get a job, save money responsibly, and learn to invest safely. I may not have learned as well as some kids who come from families who's parents are realtors or financial advisors, and unfortunately my family has not had the best run in money, but that will not prevent my will to succeed. Since money is my obstacle, I will work to make it my ally. To this day, since that class in 6th grade, I have not been given an educational session on the importance of investments and financial responsibility. I know to save my money, but I see how my friends now spend freely as if we don't need that money to barely apply to colleges. Despite the IB Diploma Core program taking up my schedule which prevents me from taking an economics class, I will use what I have learned in life from watching my family swim in stress and sweat, with loans upon loans scraping at their backs dragging them under, to keep myself afloat. This experience of living paycheck to paycheck (to the point that I understand I will need to get a job to support my family), and grasping to find ways to keep simply one kid in college has inspired me to work hard in school and out, and to use resources I have to prevent another family financial disaster. While classes have not been entirely helpful in aiding me to fully understand the economic world, the life I have been given is more than enough of lesson to push me to remain resilient and wise in my choices.