WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.440 --> 00:00:02.040 It's Nightside with Dan Ray. 2 00:00:02.680 --> 00:00:05.440 I'm WBS Costs Radio. 3 00:00:06.879 --> 00:00:13.320 Thanks Dan Watkins. I am delighted to welcome my next 4 00:00:13.519 --> 00:00:17.600 two guests. Very rarely do we have two guests at 5 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.760 the same time, but we will take phone calls. By 6 00:00:20.800 --> 00:00:25.039 the way, I'd like to introduce to the principal of 7 00:00:25.079 --> 00:00:29.359 Westwood High School, Amy Davenport. Amy, Welcome to Nightside. How 8 00:00:29.359 --> 00:00:30.079 are you this evening. 9 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:32.520 I'm doing really well. Thanks for having me. 10 00:00:32.960 --> 00:00:37.600 You're very very welcome. And also a math teacher who 11 00:00:37.640 --> 00:00:42.520 is also I guess a financial literacy teacher, Brian Mahegan. Brian, 12 00:00:42.640 --> 00:00:44.399 welcome to Nightside. 13 00:00:44.719 --> 00:00:46.159 Hi, thanks for having us. 14 00:00:46.600 --> 00:00:49.679 Yeah, this is great. Well. I happen to see a 15 00:00:49.679 --> 00:00:52.560 couple of articles about what you folks are doing at 16 00:00:52.600 --> 00:00:57.000 Westwood High School, which I think is brilliant. And I 17 00:00:57.039 --> 00:01:00.479 don't throw that term around often, but it's something that 18 00:01:00.679 --> 00:01:04.319 is I think so needed. So many kids graduate from 19 00:01:04.400 --> 00:01:08.319 high school these days, top high schools, middle high schools, 20 00:01:10.040 --> 00:01:12.920 and they have no clue of the cost of anything 21 00:01:13.040 --> 00:01:16.680 or the value of anything. Let me start with you 22 00:01:16.719 --> 00:01:20.680 if I could, Amy, as the principal of the school, 23 00:01:21.159 --> 00:01:24.640 my understanding is that you thought this might be a 24 00:01:24.680 --> 00:01:29.599 good elective for students to have option to take, and 25 00:01:29.680 --> 00:01:33.239 it's actually turned into a requirement. Tell us how the 26 00:01:33.319 --> 00:01:36.799 idea came to you, and tell us how the program 27 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:39.879 has evolved and what does it intended to accomplish. Financial 28 00:01:39.879 --> 00:01:43.879 literacy for students is pretty self explanatory, but I'd love 29 00:01:43.920 --> 00:01:46.079 to hear your thoughts on it. 30 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:47.760 Absolutely. 31 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:50.480 I think at the core of what we do at 32 00:01:50.480 --> 00:01:53.319 Westwood High School, we're always thinking about how to make 33 00:01:53.560 --> 00:01:59.079 learning real and personal and meaningful for students, And whenever 34 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:02.120 we're thinking about how how to expand our program of studies, 35 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:05.400 we go right to student voice to figure out what 36 00:02:05.439 --> 00:02:06.599 they're interested in taking. 37 00:02:07.120 --> 00:02:08.039 It's pretty hard. 38 00:02:07.840 --> 00:02:10.280 To make anything happen at the high school without student 39 00:02:10.319 --> 00:02:14.240 buy in. And my maths department chair Tanya Ferguson, who's 40 00:02:14.280 --> 00:02:18.319 probably listening in right now, did some work surveying students 41 00:02:18.319 --> 00:02:20.960 about kinds of electives they'd be interested in taking. In 42 00:02:21.000 --> 00:02:23.960 mathematics just a few years ago. I think four years ago, 43 00:02:24.759 --> 00:02:27.520 the number one thing students said they needed was a 44 00:02:27.520 --> 00:02:31.360 financial literacy course. They were saying sort of the same 45 00:02:31.400 --> 00:02:34.479 thing that you were sharing, that they don't have a 46 00:02:34.520 --> 00:02:37.360 great awareness of what their dollar means in the real world. 47 00:02:37.599 --> 00:02:41.439 They don't have a great understanding about loans. 48 00:02:41.159 --> 00:02:42.039 About. 49 00:02:43.240 --> 00:02:47.639 Finances in any personal way. And so two years ago 50 00:02:47.719 --> 00:02:49.639 we launched the course as an elective, and it was 51 00:02:49.639 --> 00:02:53.759 a really popular course, and as we saw the impact 52 00:02:53.800 --> 00:02:55.080 that the course was having. 53 00:02:54.800 --> 00:02:58.039 On students, I proposed. 54 00:02:57.560 --> 00:03:00.439 Turning the course into a graduation requirement other than an 55 00:03:00.479 --> 00:03:04.199 elective for some if you look sort of statewide at 56 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:09.120 financial literacy offerings, there are probably sixty percent of schools 57 00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:12.879 in Massachusetts that offer financial literacy as an elective, but 58 00:03:12.960 --> 00:03:15.400 the number of schools that require the course for all 59 00:03:15.479 --> 00:03:18.719 students is significantly lower. It's probably the third to twenty 60 00:03:18.759 --> 00:03:22.120 twenty five percent. And when we looked at the content 61 00:03:22.199 --> 00:03:25.840 students were encountering in this course and the real persons 62 00:03:25.840 --> 00:03:28.879 connections that they were making to the teacher, to Brian Mehegan, 63 00:03:28.960 --> 00:03:31.400 who teaches the course and is with us tonight, as 64 00:03:31.439 --> 00:03:35.360 well as to her co teacher, Leah Serci, it was 65 00:03:35.520 --> 00:03:37.719 just it was so clear that we needed to make 66 00:03:37.759 --> 00:03:40.000 sure that every student had the opportunity to have this 67 00:03:40.080 --> 00:03:46.280 kind of learning experience. And so last spring I proposed 68 00:03:46.360 --> 00:03:50.360 expanding the program from an elective to a graduation requirement, 69 00:03:50.840 --> 00:03:52.360 and I have to say it was a pretty easy 70 00:03:52.360 --> 00:03:54.919 sell to both my superintendent and my school committee. They've 71 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:56.960 been incredibly supportive of this endeavor. 72 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:01.240 So how about the parents and the students. Obviously, I 73 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:04.240 assume they've embraced it as well. 74 00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:06.919 I would say absolutely, But I would love Brian to 75 00:04:06.919 --> 00:04:09.599 speak a little bit more about what the experiences are 76 00:04:09.639 --> 00:04:10.879 like for students in the classroom. 77 00:04:11.280 --> 00:04:13.439 Yeah. Absolutely, that was going to be my next question 78 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:16.680 to Brian. Now, Brian, you're a math teacher, but you 79 00:04:16.800 --> 00:04:20.519 also are one of the teachers who teach financial literacy, 80 00:04:20.720 --> 00:04:26.480 and I'd love to know how the students react. I mean, 81 00:04:26.759 --> 00:04:30.279 do they react overwhelmed or do they really just dive 82 00:04:30.360 --> 00:04:31.120 right into it. 83 00:04:32.759 --> 00:04:35.319 I think both Leah and I, who are teaching the course, 84 00:04:35.399 --> 00:04:39.439 have been an absolute awe of how the students have 85 00:04:39.560 --> 00:04:42.600 just bought in and every day they just work really 86 00:04:42.639 --> 00:04:45.879 hard at anything we're trying to give them. Some of 87 00:04:45.879 --> 00:04:48.680 the course, we're presenting the material, some of the course, 88 00:04:48.720 --> 00:04:51.360 we're making them research information that they'll need to research 89 00:04:51.399 --> 00:04:54.360 in the future. And there's never a class that goes 90 00:04:54.360 --> 00:04:56.279 by where I would say one hundred percent of the 91 00:04:56.319 --> 00:04:59.560 students are really like diving into everything. All the work 92 00:04:59.560 --> 00:05:03.600 we're giving them and we've had really positive responses from 93 00:05:04.000 --> 00:05:07.240 them and the parents. When we had open house with 94 00:05:07.319 --> 00:05:09.720 the parents where they came in and they learned about 95 00:05:09.759 --> 00:05:13.040 the course. You know, it was a month into school 96 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:15.319 and parents were saying that their kids were coming home 97 00:05:15.360 --> 00:05:18.519 and talking about credit scores and credit cards and they 98 00:05:18.519 --> 00:05:22.680 were having open conversations about finances at home. And I 99 00:05:22.720 --> 00:05:25.600 thought that was pretty amazing that students were going home 100 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:28.319 and talking to their parents about what they're learning in class. 101 00:05:28.839 --> 00:05:30.959 Well, the funny thing is, you know, Briann, is that 102 00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:34.480 there's a lot of financial information out there that students 103 00:05:34.519 --> 00:05:38.399 could find on the internet. I mean, I think about 104 00:05:38.399 --> 00:05:42.000 things like Zillow and redfin. They could do you introduce 105 00:05:42.040 --> 00:05:44.519 them to that where they can get an understanding of 106 00:05:44.600 --> 00:05:48.160 the cost of homes, not only maybe in their community 107 00:05:48.199 --> 00:05:48.800 and elsewhere. 108 00:05:49.720 --> 00:05:52.920 Oh. Absolutely. What we talked we kind of talked about 109 00:05:53.079 --> 00:05:55.160 three main topics I like to think about it. The 110 00:05:55.199 --> 00:05:57.920 first one is taxes, and so we talk a lot 111 00:05:57.920 --> 00:06:00.439 about property tax and we look at houses is on 112 00:06:00.600 --> 00:06:05.160 redsin in particular, and then we can find the increase 113 00:06:05.360 --> 00:06:08.439 of values of houses over the years on redsin and 114 00:06:08.560 --> 00:06:12.000 the property tax. And then in turn we look at 115 00:06:12.160 --> 00:06:15.560 like the Westwood Town's budget and we can figure out 116 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:17.879 where the money, where their property tax money is going. 117 00:06:18.959 --> 00:06:21.120 So yeah, we'd like to introduce them to things that 118 00:06:21.160 --> 00:06:24.720 they can use in the future and different calculators they 119 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:28.680 can access online to maybe calculate their mortgage or look 120 00:06:28.680 --> 00:06:31.759 at an amnorization chart so they can figure out how 121 00:06:31.839 --> 00:06:33.639 much am I really saving if I can pay a 122 00:06:33.639 --> 00:06:36.000 little extra every month towards my mortgage. 123 00:06:37.240 --> 00:06:40.160 So if I can chine into it is the part, 124 00:06:42.480 --> 00:06:45.240 as you mentioned, you know whether or not students feel 125 00:06:45.279 --> 00:06:48.720 overwhelmed and how much information there is available on the internet. 126 00:06:48.879 --> 00:06:52.000 I think one of the really skillful things that our 127 00:06:52.079 --> 00:06:55.680 curriculum does is it helps students be informed enough to 128 00:06:55.720 --> 00:06:58.639 be able to evaluate the information that's available to them. 129 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:02.959 Online is a completely different vocabulary for them. They're not 130 00:07:03.120 --> 00:07:05.480 used to talking about interest rates, they're not used to 131 00:07:05.639 --> 00:07:11.879 thinking about benefits, insurance benefits when they sign on for 132 00:07:11.920 --> 00:07:15.639 a job. Brian has talked to students about the fact 133 00:07:15.680 --> 00:07:17.920 that they didn't know that they could file for a 134 00:07:17.959 --> 00:07:21.839 tax return even though they've been working for years, and 135 00:07:21.920 --> 00:07:25.279 so I think there is so much information available that 136 00:07:25.319 --> 00:07:27.360 part of what we're trying to do is really build 137 00:07:27.439 --> 00:07:31.720 that foundation and that vocabulary so that later in life 138 00:07:31.759 --> 00:07:35.040 students know how to find the information they need and 139 00:07:35.160 --> 00:07:39.000 don't fall prey to predatory financial schemes or to false 140 00:07:39.040 --> 00:07:40.600 information that they might encounter. 141 00:07:42.399 --> 00:07:46.120 There's so much that students, particularly again students coming out 142 00:07:46.160 --> 00:07:49.839 of high school seventeen eighteen years old, all of a sudden, 143 00:07:49.879 --> 00:07:53.600 they're dealing with maybe finding a real job. Some are 144 00:07:53.600 --> 00:07:58.000 going off to college. Westfield rather Westwood is a great 145 00:07:58.040 --> 00:08:00.399 community for those who are listening anywhere in the country. 146 00:08:00.399 --> 00:08:04.759 It's a suburban community. Route one oh nine runs through it. 147 00:08:04.759 --> 00:08:07.879 It's sort of out in the the the Dedham Dover 148 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:13.000 area of of of just a little south of Boston, 149 00:08:13.439 --> 00:08:16.079 not you know, not part of the city of Boston proper. 150 00:08:16.120 --> 00:08:19.920 But this gives them these great opportunities. One of the 151 00:08:19.920 --> 00:08:23.399 things that I think kids would probably be interested in 152 00:08:23.439 --> 00:08:25.879 and not be interested if you would, if you if 153 00:08:25.879 --> 00:08:28.360 this comes up in the curriculum, and that is the 154 00:08:28.480 --> 00:08:32.279 arrival of things like uber and lyft, which have come 155 00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:36.240 of age, you know, during their teenage years. Actually uh, 156 00:08:36.440 --> 00:08:40.559 compared to the more traditional forms of of of public 157 00:08:40.600 --> 00:08:44.559 transportation buses and or cabs. Uh, do you get into 158 00:08:44.600 --> 00:08:49.240 them at all? With about uber and surge pricing, and 159 00:08:49.279 --> 00:08:52.240 how at different times during the day the price of 160 00:08:52.279 --> 00:08:55.120 a ride and the same car the same from point 161 00:08:55.200 --> 00:08:58.679 A to point B might differ uh in in price 162 00:08:58.799 --> 00:09:01.519 because of what the time of day is. In traffic patterns, 163 00:09:01.600 --> 00:09:03.519 you get to all of that as well. I assume. 164 00:09:04.720 --> 00:09:07.559 I will say that TPIC comes up a lot in 165 00:09:07.600 --> 00:09:11.639 our economics curriculum, certainly with supply and demand m. 166 00:09:13.679 --> 00:09:13.919 Ahead. 167 00:09:14.360 --> 00:09:16.960 We actually that's okay. 168 00:09:17.200 --> 00:09:17.320 Uh. 169 00:09:17.480 --> 00:09:20.720 There's actually a website that we use to get some 170 00:09:20.799 --> 00:09:24.679 of our curriculum called Next General Generation Personal Finance, and 171 00:09:24.720 --> 00:09:27.799 they have really fun games that students can play. And 172 00:09:27.879 --> 00:09:30.120 one of the games is they need to be an 173 00:09:30.200 --> 00:09:32.200 uber driver and they need to make x amount of 174 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:34.720 dollars by the end of the weekend, and they need 175 00:09:34.759 --> 00:09:38.120 to decide do they get insurance for their Uber for 176 00:09:38.200 --> 00:09:41.799 their car in case someone spills something, or are they 177 00:09:41.799 --> 00:09:44.039 going to go closer to the city because you might 178 00:09:44.080 --> 00:09:47.279 make more money. Or a concert gets out, do you 179 00:09:47.320 --> 00:09:49.159 go to where the concert is because you know you 180 00:09:49.200 --> 00:09:51.919 can charge more. So that's kind of embedded to the 181 00:09:51.960 --> 00:09:54.559 game into the some of the games that they play. 182 00:09:55.080 --> 00:09:59.600 Sure Sure. My guest are Amy Davenport. She's the principal 183 00:09:59.639 --> 00:10:04.159 of West Westwood High School and a math teacher who's 184 00:10:04.159 --> 00:10:09.080 also a financial literacy teacher, Brian Mahegan, If you'd like 185 00:10:09.120 --> 00:10:12.000 to call, if you're listening from another community and you'd 186 00:10:12.039 --> 00:10:15.000 like to figure out maybe how you could get this 187 00:10:15.159 --> 00:10:18.200 type of curriculum in your community. Love to hear from you, 188 00:10:18.279 --> 00:10:21.519 particularly if you're in the the academic field, either as 189 00:10:21.559 --> 00:10:23.720 a teacher or as an administrator, or if you're just 190 00:10:23.759 --> 00:10:25.919 a parent, or I shouldn't say, just if you are 191 00:10:25.919 --> 00:10:29.279 a parent or a high school student. Six one, seven, two, five, four, 192 00:10:29.360 --> 00:10:32.000 ten thirty six one seven, nine, three, one, ten thirty 193 00:10:32.000 --> 00:10:34.720 will get you on the line. I think this is 194 00:10:34.759 --> 00:10:38.360 great also, by the way, from my audience who might 195 00:10:39.080 --> 00:10:42.320 not you know, who may not have children or grandchildren 196 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:46.879 in schools. This is something that you can advocate for 197 00:10:47.039 --> 00:10:51.600 whether you have grandchildren or children in school or neighborhood kids. 198 00:10:51.639 --> 00:10:54.960 Because I think this is one of those practical, exciting 199 00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:59.240 courses that literally can can can start someone down the 200 00:10:59.320 --> 00:11:04.600 road to a career. It's possible brand that you're actually 201 00:11:04.799 --> 00:11:09.080 exposing some young people to this whole concept of financial 202 00:11:09.120 --> 00:11:12.240 literacy and they may end up deciding to become a 203 00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:16.440 career as a financial planner or or a CPA. I mean, 204 00:11:16.480 --> 00:11:21.399 this is where you take the theory of high school 205 00:11:21.559 --> 00:11:26.000 and you explain to them that it is very the 206 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:30.279 practicality of not only application to their lives, but potentially 207 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:35.039 the application of careers. I'd love to talk about that 208 00:11:35.080 --> 00:11:38.080 with you a little bit and we'll talk more. I'll 209 00:11:38.120 --> 00:11:40.919 also mention that for those in the audience who probably 210 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:45.679 know me well enough, they do also have a Civics 211 00:11:46.480 --> 00:11:50.679 requirement at Westwood High School too, which I think is 212 00:11:50.759 --> 00:11:55.639 equally important. And to have someone graduate high school without 213 00:11:55.759 --> 00:12:00.320 knowing civics or financial literacy, I think truly is sort 214 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:03.759 of education abuse, if you will. And they're doing it 215 00:12:03.840 --> 00:12:06.480 right in Westwood, and that's why we are focusing upon 216 00:12:06.600 --> 00:12:09.440 Westwood tonight. If you'd like to call, join the conversation. 217 00:12:09.519 --> 00:12:12.080 Six months, seven two, five, four, ten thirty, six months, 218 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:14.960 seven nine, three, one ten thirty back with Westwoo High 219 00:12:14.960 --> 00:12:20.200 School Principal Amy Davenport and Westwood math teacher and financial 220 00:12:20.200 --> 00:12:23.480 literacy teacher Brion Mahegan. Right after this quick break on 221 00:12:23.559 --> 00:12:27.480 night Side, Now back to Dan Ray live from the 222 00:12:27.519 --> 00:12:28.480 Window World. 223 00:12:28.360 --> 00:12:32.039 Night Side Studios, i' WBZ News Radio. 224 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:36.919 My guests are Westwood High school principal Amy Davenport and 225 00:12:37.039 --> 00:12:40.480 a math teacher. I was also a financial literacy teacher 226 00:12:40.840 --> 00:12:43.960 Brion Mahegan. Brion, let me start this segment with you, 227 00:12:44.159 --> 00:12:49.200 and the question that I have for you is the students. 228 00:12:49.360 --> 00:12:51.440 This sounds to me like, of course students are actually 229 00:12:51.440 --> 00:12:53.919 going to be anxious to take It's It's not like 230 00:12:54.720 --> 00:12:57.240 some of those courses that you get later in your 231 00:12:57.279 --> 00:12:59.360 career in high school where I got to take it. 232 00:12:59.399 --> 00:13:01.919 But I really I'm not interested in anymore learning about 233 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:04.600 the history of the Peloponnesian Walk because it has no relevance. 234 00:13:08.320 --> 00:13:13.120 I think students their opinions vary on the way in. 235 00:13:13.759 --> 00:13:15.919 Sometimes high school students don't want to do things when 236 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:18.360 they're told they have to. But as soon as they 237 00:13:18.440 --> 00:13:20.919 start realizing that we can put some of this into 238 00:13:20.919 --> 00:13:25.799 play in their everyday life starting today, they're really interested, 239 00:13:25.919 --> 00:13:29.720 especially when we start talking about the savings accounts and 240 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:34.480 checking accounts unit. When they realize that their savings account 241 00:13:34.559 --> 00:13:37.200 might only be giving them point there are one percent 242 00:13:37.240 --> 00:13:39.879 interests and they're saving high yield savings online that they 243 00:13:39.879 --> 00:13:42.919 could get four percent interest, they really start to buy 244 00:13:42.960 --> 00:13:47.039 in pretty quickly, so you know, they have different opinions 245 00:13:47.120 --> 00:13:51.360 walking in, but all of them walk out realizing they're 246 00:13:51.360 --> 00:13:53.639 going to use most of this stuff in their everyday life, 247 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:56.960 well at some point, if not in their everyday life. 248 00:13:57.120 --> 00:13:59.080 Sure. Now, now, you folks have been doing this for 249 00:13:59.279 --> 00:14:00.000 at least threey. 250 00:13:59.840 --> 00:14:03.879 Four years, right, this is the first year that it 251 00:14:04.080 --> 00:14:05.960 has become a graduation requirement. 252 00:14:06.679 --> 00:14:06.840 Yes. 253 00:14:07.000 --> 00:14:11.200 I've been teaching financial literacy for at least four or 254 00:14:11.279 --> 00:14:13.840 five years, and we had it embedded in one of 255 00:14:13.840 --> 00:14:15.279 our other courses for quite some time. 256 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:21.840 Yes, okay, So my question is normally, I can remember 257 00:14:21.879 --> 00:14:24.919 from the days of high school and college and law school, 258 00:14:25.279 --> 00:14:28.240 there's always that Bell curve. You have three percent of 259 00:14:28.279 --> 00:14:31.000 the students who are just getting, three percent who don't 260 00:14:31.000 --> 00:14:33.919 get it, and the rest are in the big Bell curve. 261 00:14:35.240 --> 00:14:38.639 I'll bet you students do pretty well in this course. 262 00:14:39.639 --> 00:14:41.960 If I'm wrong, please tell me. If I'm right, please 263 00:14:42.000 --> 00:14:42.320 tell me. 264 00:14:43.960 --> 00:14:47.200 No, I think you're right. I do find that all 265 00:14:47.240 --> 00:14:50.320 students can find success in the course. And as you 266 00:14:50.360 --> 00:14:53.799 were mentioning earlier, I think some students are surprised at 267 00:14:53.840 --> 00:14:57.480 some of the topics that they're really interested in. I 268 00:14:57.519 --> 00:15:01.840 had a student last term who loved the tax unit 269 00:15:02.320 --> 00:15:05.000 we do th throw income taxt by hand and he 270 00:15:05.159 --> 00:15:08.120 just loved it. And math is typically not one of 271 00:15:08.120 --> 00:15:12.360 his stronger subjects, and he absolutely loved it. So I 272 00:15:12.399 --> 00:15:15.000 think that all students can find some sort of success 273 00:15:15.000 --> 00:15:15.759 in this class. 274 00:15:16.679 --> 00:15:21.519 Let me ask Principal datapod Amy, have you had other 275 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:25.000 school You had this big piece in the Globe in 276 00:15:25.039 --> 00:15:26.840 early January, and I know that you've had some other 277 00:15:26.879 --> 00:15:29.320 publicity in this. Have you had much reach out from 278 00:15:29.320 --> 00:15:34.919 other school departments of other school, you know, principals school 279 00:15:35.240 --> 00:15:38.320 outside of Westwood? Have there been you know, folks who 280 00:15:38.320 --> 00:15:40.919 have reached and said, hey, this is a pretty cool idea, 281 00:15:41.039 --> 00:15:42.159 would like to adopt it. 282 00:15:43.559 --> 00:15:44.639 I am in. 283 00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:47.679 Pretty close contacts with a lot of area principles, and 284 00:15:47.879 --> 00:15:52.600 all of them, I think, have expressed interest and or 285 00:15:52.879 --> 00:15:55.759 verging on jealousy about the fact that this is something 286 00:15:55.799 --> 00:15:56.519 that we're able to. 287 00:15:56.480 --> 00:15:59.720 Offer to all of our students. I will say. 288 00:15:59.480 --> 00:16:02.840 That the the biggest response that we have received is 289 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:05.879 definitely from the community in terms of the publicity that 290 00:16:05.919 --> 00:16:10.240 we've received, and that has looked like an outpouring of 291 00:16:10.240 --> 00:16:15.039 communications from Westwood residents, including from folks who don't have 292 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:18.320 children in the system, who are of different generations. I've 293 00:16:18.320 --> 00:16:21.200 gotten handwritten notes saying like this is what I think 294 00:16:21.320 --> 00:16:24.039 education should be about. And I've also gotten a lot 295 00:16:24.039 --> 00:16:27.600 of communications from other communities who have I think done 296 00:16:27.600 --> 00:16:29.360 what you've done. They said like, this is something that 297 00:16:29.399 --> 00:16:31.000 I want for my kids, this is something that I 298 00:16:31.039 --> 00:16:34.960 want for my school. But the response has been overwhelmingly positive. 299 00:16:35.879 --> 00:16:40.240 Well, there's a practicality about that. Obviously. It's the sort 300 00:16:40.279 --> 00:16:43.080 of stuff that sometimes parents don't talk to their kids about. 301 00:16:43.679 --> 00:16:47.200 It's almost like I guess, you know, you know, health 302 00:16:47.240 --> 00:16:51.320 courses or civics courses. You know, some parents maybe spend 303 00:16:51.360 --> 00:16:53.200 a lot of time talking to the kids about this 304 00:16:53.320 --> 00:16:55.759 as they're growing up, and kids come to the course 305 00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:59.120 with a better understanding, just as some kids might come 306 00:16:59.159 --> 00:17:01.480 to the course with a better understanding of civics or 307 00:17:01.519 --> 00:17:05.359 the way the government works. But it's great to give 308 00:17:05.640 --> 00:17:09.480 all of them a real opportunity to understand this before 309 00:17:09.559 --> 00:17:12.880 they walk across that stage and take the diploma. Whether 310 00:17:12.880 --> 00:17:17.599 they're heading off to be in the military, get into 311 00:17:17.880 --> 00:17:21.400 get into the workforce immediately, or go off to college. 312 00:17:21.440 --> 00:17:23.960 Either way, this is going to help them. Let's do this. 313 00:17:24.960 --> 00:17:28.440 I wanted a couple more questions. I I think I've 314 00:17:28.480 --> 00:17:30.880 covered what I want to cover. I'm hoping some of 315 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:35.680 our listeners might either want to comment or talk ask 316 00:17:35.720 --> 00:17:38.240 you a question, so I'll keep the lines open here. 317 00:17:38.319 --> 00:17:40.079 We've got to take a quick newscast at the bottom 318 00:17:40.119 --> 00:17:43.599 of the hour. I will be back right after the 319 00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:46.039 break six one, seven, two, five, four ten thirty six 320 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:49.279 one seven, nine one ten thirty back with my guests, 321 00:17:49.359 --> 00:17:53.200 the principal of Western High School, Amy Davenport, and a 322 00:17:53.319 --> 00:17:56.920 math teacher who's also teaching financial literacy. Again, this is 323 00:17:56.960 --> 00:18:01.720 a graduation requirement. This is not some optional course the 324 00:18:02.359 --> 00:18:05.079 students can avoid. This is one that they have to take, 325 00:18:05.119 --> 00:18:07.279 and this is one that they're going to benefit from 326 00:18:07.599 --> 00:18:12.680 for the rest of their lives. The math teachers named BRIONT. Mahigan, 327 00:18:12.880 --> 00:18:15.680 and we'll be back with both Amy Davenport and Brion 328 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:18.720 Mahegan right after this newscast. At the bottom of the hour. 329 00:18:19.480 --> 00:18:20.359 You're on Night. 330 00:18:20.319 --> 00:18:24.559 Side with Dan Ray on wz Boston's news radio. 331 00:18:25.640 --> 00:18:30.720 We're talking about financial literacy as a graduation requirement for 332 00:18:30.799 --> 00:18:33.279 high school students. I happen to think that's a great idea. 333 00:18:33.319 --> 00:18:36.640 Also think that civic should be a graduation requirement for 334 00:18:36.920 --> 00:18:41.839 high school students in Gnarlingham, Massachusetts, but everywhere, and I'd 335 00:18:41.839 --> 00:18:44.279 love to hear what your thought on it is as well. 336 00:18:44.359 --> 00:18:46.559 We are fortunate enough to be talking with the principal 337 00:18:46.640 --> 00:18:50.000 of Westwood High School, Amy Davenport, and one of the 338 00:18:50.119 --> 00:18:54.480 teachers who teaches this to students in the I guess 339 00:18:54.720 --> 00:18:59.079 it's the seventh grade now, but next year it'll be 340 00:18:59.119 --> 00:19:03.359 eighth grade, Brian, If I'm not mistaken. The teachers Brian. 341 00:19:03.200 --> 00:19:08.640 Mahigan, No, their junior year, they're the of the Civics course. Correct. 342 00:19:08.680 --> 00:19:11.599 The Civics is well, Amy, you could talk a little 343 00:19:11.599 --> 00:19:13.559 more about Civics. 344 00:19:13.240 --> 00:19:17.480 Sure, I'd be happy to right now. In Massachusetts, eighth 345 00:19:17.480 --> 00:19:20.960 graders spend a year looking at Civics at the national level, 346 00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:24.400 but the high school's ownership of that content really lives 347 00:19:24.400 --> 00:19:25.359 at the local level. 348 00:19:25.799 --> 00:19:29.000 And so this year it's a junior course requirement. We'll 349 00:19:29.039 --> 00:19:32.279 be moving it into the senior year in the next 350 00:19:32.279 --> 00:19:33.039 couple of years. 351 00:19:33.559 --> 00:19:37.440 But it's a course that really focuses on local engagement 352 00:19:37.799 --> 00:19:39.680 with the way that your town works. 353 00:19:39.920 --> 00:19:42.640 Okay, but coming back to the literacy, the financial literacy. 354 00:19:43.279 --> 00:19:46.279 The students take that course in what year now, junior or. 355 00:19:46.319 --> 00:19:50.359 Senior junior, junior year junior. 356 00:19:50.440 --> 00:19:52.960 Okay, let's try to get some phone calls and see 357 00:19:52.960 --> 00:19:55.680 if folks want to respond. Six one, seven, two, five, four, 358 00:19:55.759 --> 00:19:58.920 ten thirty six poets seven nine, three, one ten thirty. 359 00:19:59.240 --> 00:20:02.519 Let me go first to Frank in Boston. Frank, welcome 360 00:20:02.559 --> 00:20:03.559 next on nightside. 361 00:20:05.720 --> 00:20:11.359 Hey, Dan, Frank want to applaud uh, Amy and Westwood High. 362 00:20:11.559 --> 00:20:12.839 I think it's fantastic. 363 00:20:13.119 --> 00:20:17.160 No, we'll give you Westwood. Let's let's it's Westwood High 364 00:20:17.400 --> 00:20:18.279 not west Ford. 365 00:20:20.079 --> 00:20:20.480 All right. 366 00:20:20.519 --> 00:20:22.240 Well, I just got out of the Celtics game and 367 00:20:22.279 --> 00:20:24.720 I got in the car and I'm driving home and 368 00:20:24.799 --> 00:20:26.279 I heard I'm I'm. 369 00:20:26.160 --> 00:20:29.240 Happy, trust me, I'm very Craig, I'm happy you call this. 370 00:20:29.359 --> 00:20:31.680 What makes sure we gave correct credit? Say hi to 371 00:20:31.720 --> 00:20:35.720 Amy Davenport. She's the principal of Westwood High School. UH, 372 00:20:35.759 --> 00:20:39.000 and also Brion Mahegan, who's one of the teachers there. 373 00:20:39.000 --> 00:20:42.680 Go right ahead, Frank, Well, Amy and Brian. I just 374 00:20:42.720 --> 00:20:45.920 want to congratulate you. I think it's fantastic. As Dan said, 375 00:20:45.960 --> 00:20:48.680 whether you get out of high school and go to 376 00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:51.839 the military or you go to college, you're giving them 377 00:20:51.880 --> 00:20:55.079 practical experience. I taught at BC for years in the 378 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:59.480 undergrad A long last in uh and Dan, I know 379 00:20:59.519 --> 00:21:03.279 you from the Cape. I know brother Horgan, but yes. 380 00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:07.000 I think I taught a class that was you. 381 00:21:06.960 --> 00:21:09.920 Know, explain to them the Fourth Amendment, search and seizure 382 00:21:10.039 --> 00:21:13.279 their rights, you know, how to avoid a speeding ticket 383 00:21:13.319 --> 00:21:16.279 when they get pulled over. This practical application on the 384 00:21:16.279 --> 00:21:19.680 financial side is fantastic. It gives them a leg up. 385 00:21:20.160 --> 00:21:24.039 I think it's fantastic that it's a required class. You know, geometries. 386 00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.319 We all have to take it, but really, how do 387 00:21:27.400 --> 00:21:30.359 we practically apply that? And when you look at the 388 00:21:30.359 --> 00:21:32.559 financial how do I say it with a roth ira 389 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:36.039 or whatever? Is fantastic for these young kids, and high 390 00:21:36.079 --> 00:21:39.039 school is great, so Amy, Brianna, thank you. 391 00:21:39.880 --> 00:21:46.440 Fantastic and go Eagles. I have to put in a 392 00:21:46.480 --> 00:21:47.680 plug for BC as well. 393 00:21:49.279 --> 00:21:52.920 Got a girl. All right, well, Frank, if Celtics win tonight, 394 00:21:52.920 --> 00:21:54.799 I assume they've played San Antonio right. 395 00:21:56.440 --> 00:21:58.680 They were, and they beat them by I left there 396 00:21:58.759 --> 00:22:01.799 up by thirteen, could win for the selves. 397 00:22:01.880 --> 00:22:04.319 All right. Well, Frank, thanks thanks for calling in, Thanks 398 00:22:04.319 --> 00:22:06.680 for listening to Nightside. I do appreciate you taking the 399 00:22:06.720 --> 00:22:10.359 time to call in. And whatever town you're in, it'll 400 00:22:10.400 --> 00:22:13.799 be interested to find out if if your community has 401 00:22:13.799 --> 00:22:15.599