Ohio Treasurer Robert Sprague has announced Compass Award honorees for the fourth quarter of 2023. The quarterly recognition program commends organizations, programs, and individuals across the state who are working to guide Ohioans toward financial literacy and empowerment.
Bowling Green High School DECA was one of two recipients of the award.
The Bowling Green High School DECA is a satellite program of Penta Career Center offered to 11th and 12th grade students. DECA provides students with experiential learning and work experiences related to a variety of careers in business management and administration, finance, hospitality and tourism, and project management. Through the program, students learn to plan, implement, and manage projects from the early stages to completion.
In 2023, participating seniors facilitated a money management class for students. Seniors visited the middle school’s Money Management class and provided small group instruction on topics such as saving, interest, and investments. The project made a measurable impact on students, as data collected from final exam scores reflected an overall improvement of 8% from the prior year. Through the project, seniors also shared they gained useful knowledge about money management.
“We’re proud to recognize our newest Compass Award honorees for their ongoing efforts to advance financial literacy education and empowerment in our state,” said Sprague. “It’s critical that we equip students with the necessary tools and ‘know-how’ to make smart financial decisions throughout their lives. Thanks to the hard work of Courtney and the Bowling Green High School DECA program, many more young Ohioans are on the path to financial success.”
The second Compass Award winner was Courtney Warman, who is the healthy finances program specialist for Ohio State University’s College of Food, Agriculture, and Environmental Sciences.
