For many local high schoolers, the latest graduation prerequisite is not an extra burden but a practical gift.

Colorado passed a law last spring requiring students to complete a financial literacy course before graduation, starting with the Class of 2028. Denver Public Schools opted to require the class this year for juniors; it was previously offered as an elective.

“It’s the most useful class I’ve taken in high school,” said Kendall Smith, a senior at Northfield High School. “It helped reduce my anxiety about money—the differences between loans, credit versus debit cards, and even how to write a resume and cover letter.”

For many local high schoolers, the latest graduation prerequisite is not an extra burden but a practical gift.Fellow NHS student Jace Pope, a junior, said the class made him “realize how expensive everything is.” His teacher, Liz Gavrys, introduced students to budgeting using the salary of a first-year teacher at DPS. It didn’t take long for students to realize they “need to budget even for necessities,” Pope said.

According to state guidelines the course must cover budgeting, debt management, credit and debit cards, basic investing, insurance, taxes, financial decision-making, how to fill out financial aid forms, and loans.

At DSST Public Schools, seniors have traditionally covered finances in their college seminar. Next fall students must enroll in financial literacy as a semester-long course or as part of AP Government.

Jeff Desserich, who leads the class at DSST: Montview High School, said, “Students learn topics they are going to need to know whether they go to college or enter the workforce.”

While Desserich also teaches AP Calculus, he said, “With financial literacy, I’m teaching something that improves lives right now, like how a loan works and how to build a good credit score.” Desserich considers the course a first step for some of his students to create generational wealth.

This year, he has seen that growth in real-time.

A few days into the start of the 2025 tax season, DSST senior Abraham Ortega asked Desserich to help him file his return: “We learned how to do taxes in class, and then he met with me after school.” Ortega added with a smile, “I got a nice $1,200 refund.” He began working at Walmart last year, saving for college and a car. “The class helped me know how to be responsible financially,” he said.

Taking financial literacy spurred Shabnam Abdullai, also a senior at DSST, to try investing. “My parents are immigrants, so there were certain things I learned that I felt like I could help them with and help me,” she said. Although Abdullai, an aspiring engineer, values her “regular” math class, she said, “For me, this class was everything. It helps us long-term.”

Another DSST senior, Qualaya Rosenburg, said the class taught her that saving at a young age is important. “It could just be $1 a day,” she said. “Try to get ahead for your future.” When she turned 18, she used her classroom know-how to open a credit card, which she pays off regularly to avoid interest.

In financial literacy at Northfield, junior Bella Lockhart discovered she, too, could build credit as a teenager. “Credit scores stressed me because I didn’t know how you got a good score,” she said. “But now I can help pay for groceries or gas, and it’s helping my score already.”

Isabella Robles, a junior at NHS, concurred: “It’s good to know these things before you get stuck in a situation. It’s easier to prevent debt than get out of it.”

Gavrys loves to see “the lightbulb moments” in class. She said, “Students have told me they’ve said thank you to their parents as they learn about these things.”

Some students said the best part of the class has been the confidence gained. Northfield senior Kora Graham reflected, “The class prepared me for real life. I’m already putting the savings into practice, and I know it will help me in college.”

Front Porch photos by Christie Gosch