Students in Warsaw Community High School’s speech team pose for a picture with their state awards alongside WCS board members, speech coaches and family members. InkFreeNews photo by Liz Shepherd.

By Liz Shepherd
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — Warsaw Community Schools may soon be making a personal finance class a graduation requirement for all high school students.

During a work session on Tuesday, May 11, WCS’ Board of Trustees heard a presentation from Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education Dr. David Robertson on the proposal.

“Students can’t pursue their dreams two or three years out of high school because they’re so far in debt that they’re strapped down to that,” said Robertson.

Robertson said the class would primarily consist of a project-based curriculum and would teach students how to create monthly budgets while teaching them about credit scores, debt and housing costs. If approved, the class would become a requirement starting with the class of 2024, Warsaw Community High School’s freshmen.

“This course would typically be recommended to take in 11th or 12th grade,” said Robertson. “There would not be a prerequisite. One of the things we do like about it is it can count as a quantitative reasoning course so it fits graduation requirements in some other areas as well. We’ve worked a lot with the counseling department to take a look at how this affects electives and it’s had strong support from the start. Students who are currently taking the course…100% of them would recommend it for all students to have.”

Robertson’s request will be voted on at the school board’s regular meeting on May 17.

“We’ve got to help students manage money well so they can achieve their dreams,” said Robertson.

In other business, the school board also learned from Chief Financial Officer April Fitterling that free meals for WCS students will continue to be offered through the 2021-22 school year. Each school day, all students enrolled at WCS will be provided the opportunity to have free breakfast and free lunch each school day.

The free meals for all WCS students are funded by the United States Department of Agriculture in response to the COVID-19 public health emergency. Families do not have to be on free or reduced benefits to receive these meals.

Fitterling also said Marci Franks, director of food and nutrition services, will once again be distributing free summer meals to children. More information on this will be shared at a later date.

Dan Tyree, Indiana High School Forensics Association executive director, was also present at the school board meeting to recognize WCHS’ speech team. The team competed in a virtual state tournament.

The following students placed as quarterfinalists in the state competition: Keely Roe (discussion); Madeline Whitaker, Alexis Ceniceros and Ian Peloza (program oral interpretation); and Kylee Anders (prose).

Three students were ranked in the top 12 in state: Reagan Polk (poetry) and Alexis Ceniceros and Vivian Wise (duo).

Peloza placed fifth in the state’s prose category and Jessica Pogue placed fourth place in prose and third place in humor. Kylee Anders and Jason Benyousky placed third in the state’s duo category.

Out of 19 AAA schools who competed in the tournament, the WCHS team placed fourth in the state. WCHS’ speech team is coached by Kathryn Anders and Jason Pogue.

The board’s next meeting is at 7 p.m. Monday, May 17, at Lakeview Middle School.