Schools throughout South Carolina, including public and private schools in Lexington County, now have access to a course teaching financial literacy. 

SAFE Federal Credit Union has invested more than $100,000 to create an online program for high school students in South Carolina to use to prepare students to enter adult life with the know-how about paying bills, saving, improving credit scores and more.

The program is a finance simulation where students are given the room to make financial mistakes and learn from them without real-world consequences, so they graduate less likely to make brash financial decisions that will have real-world consequences.

According to a news release from SAFE, 45 public and private high schools have opted to be part of the program, and this will benefit more than 36,000 students so far, and additional schools are being encouraged to participate as well.

“Our kids need to understand this,” South Carolina Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette said during the Feb. 28 SAFE Federal Credit Union event where the launching of the program was announced. “Kids need to start working again. … You have no idea how to value a dollar unless you had to work for that dollar.”

The online program was developed by the education technology provider Stukent, and once students complete the program, they earn a full credit.

“The initiative aligns with a new provision in South Carolina’s state budget, which requires high school seniors to earn a one-half credit in financial literacy before receiving a high school diploma,” according to the release. “The new requirement takes effect for the graduating class of 2027.”

The program is free to participating schools, whether public or private, in Sumter, Lee, Kershaw, Clarendon, Florence, Richland and Lexington counties.

Here are the schools that are currently participating located in Lexington County: 

- Pelion High School

- Brookland-Cayce High School

- Airport High School

- New Bridge Academy

- Lexington Two Community Education Center

- Swansea High School

- Spring Hill High School

- Dutch Fork High School

- Irmo High School