PHILADELPHIA, PA – Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor along with the Good as Gold Foundation today hosted a game show at Martin Luther King High School to provide students with a fun and engaging way to apply financial literacy concepts in real time. The game show, called ‘Gold Minds,’ is part of the Good as Gold Foundation’s Youth Development Program.
“Financial literacy is key for our students to build a path towards success,” Auditor General DeFoor said. “But we must also get them interested in financial literacy, and what better way to do that than to create a competition. This game show gives them the opportunity to learn more about finances while also keeping them excited.”
Students who participated in the ‘Gold Minds’ game show covered financial literacy topics such as personal finance fundamentals, saving and investing, risk and insurance, and credit.
Before the game show, students participated in a Resource Hour, connecting directly with financial institutions and community organizations to explore financial resources, learn about available services, and gain practical information to support their financial futures.
Founded in 2022 by Monayia Everett and Janée Sanders, Good as Gold Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gap between poverty and wealth through financial education, homeownership readiness, financial relief, and youth development. Its programs include Golden Workshops, which provides education on budgeting, saving, credit, debt management, and wealth-building; Golden Keys, a homeownership readiness program; Golden Grants, which provides financial relief to families; and youth development initiatives such as Gold Minds. To date, Good as Gold Foundation has reached more than 6,000 individuals through its programs and community initiatives, providing financial education, resources, and direct assistance to families across Pennsylvania.
“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,” said Monayia Everett and Janée Sanders, Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors of Good as Gold Foundation. “Our goal is to equip young people with the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions as they prepare for life beyond high school. This is just the beginning of what we envision for Gold Minds.”
Since ‘Be Money $mart’ launched in 2021, Auditor General DeFoor has:
- Created a Be Money $mart Community Partners page for individuals to directly access resources and information about financial literacy;
- Launched a statewide art contest for students to design the cover of a financial literacy activity book;
- Partnered with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Members 1st Federal Credit Union to coordinate a statewide financial literacy competition for high school students;
- Met with teachers and students in high school classrooms across Pennsylvania in recognition of successful financial literacy learning opportunities;
- Visited all state and state related universities in Pennsylvania, as well as community colleges, to talk about job and internship opportunities within the department and the importance of knowing how your money works;
- Partnered with the Pennsylvania Library Association to highlight free financial literacy resources and the PA Forward program;
- Visited YMCAs across the Commonwealth to talk about financial literacy for all ages;
- Worked with Junior Achievement to emphasize financial literacy messages to elementary school students and participated in multiple BizTown simulations; and
- Partnered with CrossState Credit Union Association and other credit unions and financial institutions across the state to promote free financial literacy resources, including hosting ‘Money $mart Mondays’ with PSECU.
For more information on the Department of the Auditor General’s financial literacy initiative, visit our website www.paauditor.gov.
# # #
Media contact: April Hutcheson, 717-787-1381 or ahutcheson@paauditor.gov