AUGUSTA, Maine — The Maine Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy has awarded two Maine educators for their outstanding work in financial education, including a Mars Hill teacher.
Samantha Drost of Central Aroostook High School, along with Raelene Allen of Madison High School, are “leaders in personal finance education in Maine, and epitomize the true spirit of the award,” said coalition officials.
The award, established in 2012, was created to recognize an individual who has distinguished themselves through their efforts to improve the financial capability of the students and families they serve. This year for the first time, the coalition awarded two individuals.
Drost has been teaching at Central Aroostook High School for eight years, and in that time she has transformed the school’s personal finance curriculum. When she began she was assigned to teach an economics course, but her class became more focused on personal finance as the lessons included balancing a checkbook, managing a budget and reducing debt.
In her time at Central Aroostook High School, Drost has been aware of the students’ needs and she has taken action to fill any gaps she saw. When she noticed that students needed to have earlier access to college and career planning, she created a sophomore level class that focused on this subject.
Drost’s passion for financial literacy extends beyond her school, and she has been a leader in bringing financial education to all schools in Maine.
“Samantha has found a new passion for teaching personal finance thanks to the Maine Jump$tart Program,” wrote Dr. Kay York, CAHS principal.
Drost serves on The Maine Jump$tart Coalition Board of Directors, where she serves on the Program Committee. Drost was also awarded a scholarship to attend the 2018 National Jump$tart Conference, after which she returned to school “prepared and excited to bring new resources to her students including NGPF lessons, web-based games, Financial Fridays and local speakers,” said York.
Drost has continued to further her education in financial literacy by attending various FinCamps in Maine, completing virtual training with NextGen Personal Finance, and is working on earning her senior-level certification through their program.
Drost also served as a co-facilitator during the revision of the Maine Learning Results for Social Studies, which strengthened the personal finance and economics component in the state standards. In April, she will teach a webinar on personal finance for the Maine Department of Education’s social studies webinar series. To continue to expand her reach to teachers around the state, this fall Drost is applying for and hopes to be accepted as a state teacher leader for personal finance.
“Samantha’s passion has grown into expanding her knowledge to others,” writes Dr. York. “She will continue to strive to bring more education not only to her students, but the teachers in Northern Maine and the state.”
Drost and Allen will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to the National Jump$tart Educator Conference in Washington, D.C. this November, and will each receive a $500 financial education grant from Machias Savings Bank. They will be formally honored at the 2020 Fostering Financial Education in Maine Schools Conference on May 8 in Augusta Civic Center.
