Budgeting, investment, taxes…these vital life skills are often overlooked in schools, leaving students to fend for themselves financially as adults. But a Delbarton service program, DEEP, seeks to tackle this issue. The Delbarton Economic Education Program was created back in 2019 through a partnership with Catholic Charities in the Diocese of Paterson. Mr. Brady worked closely with members of this organization to organize education programs for students in Paterson to develop these vital financial literacy skills.

Unfortunately, Covid prevented the program from going forward in the spring of 2020. Undaunted, students adjusted their presentations in 2021 to present virtually. By 2022 the members of DEEP were ready to return in person. Over the course of eight days, students from grades eight through twelve traveled to Paterson after school to meet with students there. Each of the eight days had between three and six presenters, and there were usually between six and twelve students from Paterson in the audience. This allowed each team to work closely with the students in Paterson and get their message across to each and every student.

The eight-day program covered a wide variety of financial literacy topics. Day 1 covered the basics of financial literacy. Day 2 focused on the time value of money and how to strategize long-term financially. Day 3 went over credit and debit cards, as well as budgeting and debt. Day 4 introduced basic investment types and strategies. Day 5 went over credit scores and loans. Day 6 discussed broad-based fiscal issues such as inflation and the national debt. Day 7 offered insights about current events and news. Finally, Day 8 introduced check-writing and reviewed the previous days’ key points.

Clearly, the DEEP program covered a wide range of topics. Similar to the “Inquiry” financial education program that Delbarton is currently required for juniors, DEEP seeks to prepare the students of Paterson for their future by teaching them skills they will need for the rest of their lives. Brandon Low, who participated in days 4 and 7 explained that “DEEP was truly an amazing experience. Under the great leadership of some of my fellow classmates and Mr. Brady, we were able to have a tremendous impact on the Paterson community. We hope to continue this for many years to come.” The 2022 DEEP team is proud of the work they put in this year, and they look forward to improving even more next year. If you’re interested in joining DEEP next year, keep an eye out in the fall for more information to join the team.