PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A new bootcamp is underway to help break Philadelphians out of poverty, but it's not your typical financial literacy course.
Nor is it aimed at your typical participants, since most kids go to Wharton Square Park in the Point Breeze neighborhood to play on the slides, the swings or other playground offerings, and not for financial seminars.
But on Wednesday afternoon, more than a dozen elementary school kids went to the park for a financial literacy bootcamp.
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"I learned how to invest money, how to save, not to spend it all at one place at one time," said Roland Shelton IV.
He may only be 11 years old, but those lessons have him looking at his allowance, piggy bank and future with a whole new perspective.
"To save for retirement and not take all your money and throw it away on things you don't need," said Crystal Evans, the founder and president of Money Talks Edu which hosted the bootcamp.
She says having these fiscal talks with kids early and often is crucial with helping them break out of poverty, and build generational wealth.
"The kids need it," Evans said. "It's a life skill, and if it's not taught and it's not a discussion in your home, you may never ever get the education."
During the bootcamp, the kids went through money saving and spending scenarios, and also started work packets to help increase their financial knowledge over the months and years to come.
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