State Treasurer Curtis Loftis Recognizes Gina Mahoney of Forts Pond Elementary as Educator of the Month

State Treasurer Curtis Loftis recognizes Gina Mahoney and her fifth grader students for supporting financial literacy.

South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis recently recognized Gina Mahoney of Forts Pond Elementary School in Pelion as January’s Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program Educator of the Month. Treasurer Loftis visited the school and spoke to students about the difference between needs versus wants.

“Financial literacy is an essential tool for economic success, and I enjoy speaking with the students and hearing all they are learning,” Treasurer Loftis said. “Because our financial system is growing increasingly complex, we are grateful for instructors like Ms. Mahoney who are teaching students how to make sound financial decisions at a young age.” 

Ms. Mahoney, a school counselor, has been using the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program with her fifth-grade students for three years. Using the Vault platform powered by EverFi, the web-based, interactive program engages students to make learning financial skills interesting and fun.

“I love how excited my students were last year when they completed the Vault lessons that explored understanding money,” Mahoney said. “The program incorporates many academic standards and allows me to talk about career exploration as well. The students are motivated to learn these new financial skills and vocabulary on their iPads, and the lessons are teaching them about good financial habits that they can use throughout their lives.” 

The Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program is offered to elementary and middle schools across the state at no cost to taxpayers. The web-based financial management course focuses on skill building, budgeting and decision-making.

Approximately 27,000 South Carolina students and 238 schools have participated in the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program since it was launched in 2015.

For more information about the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program, visit scfuturescholar.everfi.com.

About Future Scholar
Future Scholar, South Carolina’s 529 College Savings Plan, is administered through the State Treasurer’s Office. For more information, visit FutureScholar.com or follow @SCStateTreasurer on Facebook. No state funds are used to market Future Scholar or the Future Scholar Financial Literacy Program.