6,000 Individuals Reached Through Good as Gold Financial Literacy Programs

Financial Literacy Game Show Hits Martin Luther King High School

Personal finance concepts rarely draw cheers in a traditional classroom setting, but a high-energy competition changed that dynamic in Philadelphia. Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor partnered with the Good as Gold Foundation to host a game show called “Gold Minds” at Martin Luther King High School, bringing interactive financial education directly to students, paauditor.gov reported.

The event aimed to give teenagers a practical way to apply money management concepts in real time. Participating students tackled four core pillars of personal finance: fundamentals, saving and investing, risk and insurance, and credit.

Before the competition kicked off, students attended a Resource Hour. This pre-game session connected teenagers directly with local financial institutions and community organizations, allowing them to explore available services and gather practical tools for their financial futures.

The Partnership Behind the Curriculum

The Good as Gold Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit originally established in 2022 by Monayia Everett and Janée Sanders. The organization centers its mission on bridging the gap between poverty and wealth through targeted financial education, homeownership readiness programs, financial relief, and youth development initiatives.

“We created Gold Minds because we believe financial literacy should be more than something students learn in a classroom. We wanted to create an experience that makes learning about money exciting, engaging, and memorable,” Monayia Everett and Janée Sanders said in a joint statement.

Since its inception, the foundation has expanded its reach across the commonwealth. Programs such as Golden Workshops focus on budgeting, debt management, and wealth-building, while Golden Keys assists with homeownership readiness. Additional efforts like Golden Grants provide direct financial relief to families. Altogether, the foundation’s programs and community initiatives have reached more than 6,000 individuals across Pennsylvania.

Auditor General DeFoor emphasized that engagement remains the primary hurdle for youth financial education. “Financial literacy is key for our students to build a path towards success,” DeFoor said. “But we must also get them interested in financial literacy, and what better way to do that than to create a competition.”

Expanding Statewide Outreach Initiatives

The Philadelphia high school event builds on a broader, multi-year statewide push led by the Department of the Auditor General. Since launching the “Be Money $mart” initiative in 2021, the office has steadily expanded its footprint across Pennsylvania’s educational landscape.

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That outreach includes a statewide art contest where students designed the cover of a financial literacy activity book. DeFoor has also met with teachers and students in classrooms across the commonwealth, visited various YMCAs to discuss financial literacy for all ages, and collaborated with Junior Achievement to host BizTown simulations for elementary school students.

Furthermore, the department has partnered with the CrossState Credit Union Association and other regional financial institutions to promote free financial resources. These efforts include regular collaborative segments such as “Money $mart Mondays” with PSECU.

For families and educators seeking additional details on these ongoing programs, information remains accessible through the Pennsylvania Department of the Auditor General.

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