Palo Alto, Calif., UPDATED: June 16, 2022 - Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF), a non-profit committed to ensuring that ALL students leave high school with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex financial world, is pleased to announce 181 recipients of NGPF Gold Standard Challenge grants. Together, these schools serve over 150,000 high schoolers who will soon graduate with the financial education they deserve.

The NGPF Gold Standard Challenge rewards and recognizes high schools that commit to ensuring that all students receive a one semester personal finance course before crossing the graduation stage. Each of the teachers and/or administrators who led these efforts have received board approval for a one semester personal finance course to be taken by ALL students with implementation to take place over the coming school years.

Colorado

• Leslie Stewart, Springfield High School (Springfield, CO)
• Himanshu Sharma, Fort Morgan High School (Fort Morgan, CO)

Connecticut

• Barbara Angelicola-Manzolli, Lewis S. Mills High School (Burlington, CT)
• Dan Clement, Somers High School (Somers, CT)
• Kimberly LaDuke, Ellington High School (Ellington, CT)

Delaware

• Michael Schaefer, The Sussex Academy of Arts & Sciences (Georgetown, DE)

Illinois

• Teresa Eick George, Alden-Hebron High School (Hebron, IL)
• Sabrina Benjamin, Maine Township High School District 207 (Park Ridge, IL) [4 high schools]
• Huda Ghazal, Universal School (Bridgeview, IL)

Indiana

• Jim Hatfield, Mt. Vernon High School (Mt. Vernon, IN)

Iowa (prior to adoption of statewide guarantee)

• Kevin Gartman, Montezuma Community Schools (Montezuma, IA)
• Diane Schumacher, Iowa City Schools (Iowa City, IA) [4 high schools]
• Tammy Vrzak, Turkey Valley Jr-Sr High School (Jackson Junction, IA)
• Amy Jo Wertzberger, West Marshall High School (State Center, IA)
• Angela Snakenberg, Hillcrest Academy (Kalona, IA)
• Mary Gibb, St. Edmond Catholic School (Fort Dodge, IA)

Kansas

• Michelle Bruna, Washington County High School (Washington, KS)
• Christie Woods, Horton High School (Horton, KS)
• Rane Case, Wellington High School (Wellington, KS)

Kentucky

• Joy Neace, Breathitt County High School (Jackson, KY)
• David Curtis, Union County High School (Morganfield, KY)
• Amanda Hutchison, Boyle County High School (Danville, KY)

Maine

• Samantha Drost, Central Aroostook High School (Mars Hill, ME)

Maryland

• Julius Prezelski, Mount Saint Joseph High School (Baltimore, MD)
• Susan Bistransin, Prince George's County Public Schools (Prince George's County, MD) [32 high schools]

Massachusetts

• Sue Comparato, Swampscott High School (Swampscott, MA)
• Julie Giglia, Whitman-Hanson Regional High School (Hanson, MA)

Michigan (Prior to adoption of statewide guarantee)

• Shawn Hulin, Centreville High School (Centreville, MI)

Minnesota

• Patricia Lindeman, RTR Public Schools (Tyson, MN)
• Melissa Johnson, Willow River Area High School (Willow River, MN)
• Kim DeLong, Murray County Central High School (Slayton, MN)

Montana

• Jill Page, Glasgow High School (Glasgow, MT)
• Sara Wittmayer, Nashua High School (Nashua, MT)
• Amy Griffin, Westby High School (Westby, MT)

Nebraska (prior to adoption of statewide guarantee)

• Melissa Kapustka, Loup City Public Schools (Loup City, NE)
• Kate Chrisman, Cedar Bluffs Secondary (Cedar Bluffs, NE)

New Hampshire

• Sam York, Merrimack Valley High School (Penacook, NH)

New Jersey

• Mark Fiedorczyk, Lenape Valley High School (Stanhope, NJ)
• Kathleen Brennan, Mount Saint Mary Academy (Watchung, NJ)
• Debra Serafin, Mater Dei Prep (Middletown, NJ)

New Mexico

• Sandra Roberson, Gateway Christian School (Roswell, NM)

New York

• Christine Boulé, Seton Catholic High School (Plattsburgh, NY)
• Catherine Nason, Ellicottville Central School District (Ellicottville, NY)
• Renée Nelson, KIPP NYC College Prep (Bronx, NY)
• Kristen Casto, Orchard Park High School (Orchard Park, NY)
• Jennifer Lehmann, Sewanhaka Central High School District (Floral Park, NY) [5 high schools]
• Jacob Yaeger, Edwards-Knox Senior High School (Hermon, NY)

North Dakota

• Katie Kohoutek, Lidgerwood High School (Lidgerwood, ND)
• Amber Krapp, Pingree-Buchanan High School (Pingree, ND)
• Kim Lorenz, Hatton-Eielson Public School (Hatton, ND)
• Julie Termine, Burk Central High School (Lignite, ND)

North Carolina (prior to adoption of statewide guarantee)

• Jill Clayton, Roxboro Community High School (Roxboro, NC)
• Mary Stockham, Pinnacle Classical Academy (Shelby, NC)
• Elizabeth Mosley, Charlotte-Mecklenberg Schools (Charlotte, NC) [32 high schools]

Ohio (prior to adoption of statewide guarantee)

• Mark Rairigh, Bryan City Schools (Bryan, OH)
• Susan Miller, St. Vincent St. Mary High School (Akron, OH)
• Donna Rindler, St. Henry Schools (St. Henry, OH)

Oregon

• Teresa Veach, Ukiah School (Ukiah, OR)

Pennsylvania

• Christina Lutz-Doemling, Catasauqua Area High School (Catasauqua, PA)
• Patricia Bealmear, New Oxford High School (New Oxford, PA)
• Stephanie Ziegmont, Southern Columbia High School (Catawissa, PA)
• Kenneth Bissell, Greensburg-Salem High School (Greensburg, PA)
• Victoria De Roner, Pennsylvania Distance Learning Charter (Sewickley, PA)
• Rachel Litzinger, Tyrone Area High School (Tyrone, PA)
• Mandi Kercher, Brandywine Heights Area High School (Topton, PA)
• Sarah Gracey, Kiski Area High School (Vandergrift, PA)
• Hilary Donahue, Student Learning Charter School at Pennsbury (Levittown, PA)
• Linda Keiser, Montoursville Area High School (Montoursville, PA)
• Amy Sullivan, Cedarcrest High School (Lebanon, PA)
• Adam Nancarrow, Haverford High School (Haverford, PA)
• Randy Payne, Northeastern High School (Manchester, PA)

Rhode Island (prior to adoption of statewide guarantee)

• Rich Garland, North Kingstown Senior High School (North Kingstown, RI)

South Carolina

• William Joy, Lucy Garrett Beckham High School (Mount Pleasant, SC)

South Dakota

• Lana Main, West Central School (Hartford, SD)

Texas

• Jennifer Jones, Sam Rayburn High School (Ivanhoe, TX)
• Ashli Cheung, Fairhill School (Dallas, TX)

Virginia (*only independent schools eligible in VA due to statewide guarantee)

• Jonathon McKenney, The Sycamore School (Arlington, VA)

Vermont

• Mary Brouillette, Bellows Free Academy (St. Albans, VT)

Washington

• Mark Bloom, Eastmont School District (East Wenatchee, WA)
• Janelle Blakney, Wenatchee High School (Wenatchee, WA)

West Virginia

• Gary Wroblewski, Wayne County Schools (Wayne, WV) [3 high schools]

Wisconsin

• Joe Russom, Menasha High School (Menasha, WI)
• Lynn Paulson, Rosholt High School (Rosholt, WI)
• Cathy Smith, Bayfield High School (Bayfield, WI)
• Melissa Wiese, Reedsville High School (Reedsville, WI)
• Jessica Mueller, Baraboo High School (Baraboo, WI)
• Alana Eder, Oconto High School (Oconto, WI)
• Patrick Kubeny, Rhinelander High School (Rhinelander, WI)
• Stephanie Esser, Lincoln Senior High School (Alma Center, WI)
• Christina Blindauer, Roncalli High School (Maitowoc, WI)
• Kyle Ebel, Dodgeville High School (Dodgeville, WI)
• Dawn Woychik, Independence High School (Independence, WI)
• Sharon Steinke, Osseo-Fairchild High School (Osseo, WI)
• Joey Zocher, Escuela Verde (Milwaukee, WI)
• Michael Cassidy, Mount Horeb High School (Mount Horeb, WI)
• Michael Kosmalski, Prescott High School (Prescott, WI)
• Paul Schley, Cornell High School (Cornell, WI)
• Nathan Hochmuth, Manitowoc Luteran High School (Manitowoc, WI)
• Tammy Krug-Pickart, Fond du Lac High School (Fond du Lac, WI)

“Behind each of these decisions is the story of a teacher, an administrator, a board member, a student, or a parent group whose passion, commitment and persistence led to this amazing and much needed accomplishment,” said NGPF Co-Founder, Tim Ranzetta. “I’m excited to see the momentum sweeping across the United States, and I'm grateful to the community rallying behind Mission: 2030. We have less than a decade to work together so that by 2030, all high school students will refer to personal finance as 'the class that they are so glad they had.' "

Each school awarded an NGPF Gold Standard Challenge grant receives up to $10,000 to support their personal finance program as they scale up to reach all their students. Each district encompassing 3 or more high schools receives up to $30,000 to support their new graduation requirement across all high schools within the district. NGPF doubled its original grant allocation to $2 million in June 2020, with the funds dispersed on a first-come-first-served basis.

About Next Gen Personal Finance

Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF), has become the "one-stop shop" for more than 51,000 educators looking for high-quality, engaging personal finance curriculum to equip students with the skills to thrive in the future. NGPF curriculum has a broad reach, with more than 7 out of 10 U.S. high school students attending schools where a teacher utilizes NGPF resources. NGPF supports educators with the most comprehensive suite of PD: 7,000+ teachers participated in more than 130,000 hours of NGPF professional development in 2020-'21. The non-profit has been recognized by Common Sense Education as a “Top Website for Teachers to Find Lesson Plans” and “Best Business and Finance Games.”

NGPF will provide periodic updates and guest posts as more grants are awarded through the NGPF Gold Standard Challenge grant program, a $2 million grant program to catalyze the Mission: 2030 movement. Additional details, including eligibility requirements, are available here. If eligible, apply before the Aug 31, 2022 deadline or before the fund is fully allocated - funds issued on a first-come-first-served basis.

About the Author

Christian Sherrill

Former teacher, forever financial education nerd. As NGPF's Director of Growth & Advocacy, Christian is laser-focused on our mission to guarantee all students a rigorous personal finance course before crossing the high school graduation stage. Having paid down over $40k in student loans in the span of 3 years - while living in the Bay Area on an entry level teacher's salary - he's eager to help the next generation avoid financial pitfalls one semester at a time.

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