CMS high schoolers to benefit from Jordan Brand grant with financial literacy course

Thousands of high schoolers in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools will have access to personal finance education courtesy of a grant from Michael Jordan and the Jordan Brand.

Next Gen Personal Finance -- a nonprofit focused on financial literacy for teens -- received the funding and will implement the program in CMS and five other districts nationwide.

Public schools in New York City, Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta and Greensboro also received the contribution this year.

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A spokesperson said the districts were chosen because of their large number of students, as well as their high percentage of Black and Hispanic students.

In all, 498,000 students across 639 high schools will have the chance to benefit from the program.

“This grant has the opportunity to change the financial trajectory of historically excluded communities across the United States,” said Tori Mansfield, NGPF’s senior program manager, who leads the initiative. “Students will graduate understanding how to maintain good credit, invest in the stock market and prepare financially for life after high school.”

The funds will support hiring a personal finance specialist who helps build a curriculum and develop teachers that can increase the economic know-how of students. The Jordan grant also expands on NGPF’s online course offerings and supports the creation of student investment clubs.

Jordan and the Jordan Brand supported the grant through its 10-year, $100 million Black Community Commitment established in 2020 to change systematic issues for Black communities.

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