SHS seniors Charlie Hartwell, Jacob O’Malley, and Parker Hausmann have created a new non-profit organization. FLY, an acronym for Financial Literacy for the Youth, was presented at the 2023 DECA State Career Development Conference. SHS business teacher Ross Maki supported the students’ vision–to educate and empower students with the knowledge they need to become financially independent. 

The FLY Foundation held its first event on September 27th in room 229. Guest speaker Andrew Blanchard, who has been working at Baystate Financial as a financial planner for 22 years, remarked on how important it is for young people to learn the basics of the financial world. Blanchard hopes this foundation will help to inspire the next generation within the business industry to care about their ethics and put their customers’ needs first. 

Similarly, Maki agreed that students walked away from the event with a fundamental understanding of financial terms and skills. He said that running a successful non-profit such as the FLY Foundation takes driven and dedicated students willing to spend their time connecting with students’ needs. 

When asked about their inspiration to start this non-profit, co-presidents Hartwell, Hausmann, and O’Malley agreed that Scituate High School needs more financial literacy education. They had previous experience starting the SHS Real Estate Club and the Global Economics Club. SHS business teacher Eric Fagerland and SHS history teacher Michael Matisoff were instrumental in advising the development of these groups.

Backed by an $800 grant from SHORE toward their first networking event, the founders could take their endeavors to the next level. Hausmann mentioned that preparation for this event and others began toward the end of the 2022-23 school year. The FLY Foundation plans to host a networking event every month this school year. They have created a detailed schedule that extends through January. 

To learn more about the Fly Foundation initiative, visit their website at flyfoundation.net