Nearly 300 Grade 10 and 11 students from St. Catharines will get a lesson in money management as Brock University hosts its second Financial Literacy Day Thursday, May 23.

For the second year, Brock’s Student Financial Services team is hosting the free event to help the high school students get a better understanding of financial well-being, literacy and knowledge.

“Money is a significant stress factor and is one of the main barriers preventing university students from graduating,” said Audrianna Kervoelen, Student Financial Services Officer at Brock. “Financial literacy is not formally taught in high school or post-secondary, yet it is a valuable skill for everyday life.”

Kervoelen hopes that participating high school students will gain a better understanding of the financial realities of a post-secondary education and start thinking about university sooner.

“Our team frequently deals with students who aren’t aware of all the costs associated with going to university. It’s why we host this event — to reach them before they enrol,” said Kervoelen. “Ultimately, we want them to successfully start and finish their university education and fulfil their future goals.”

A series of presentations on topics such as saving, budgeting, money-management and funding university, will take place in the Sean O’Sullivan Theatre from 9:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Lunch and campus tours will follow.

Although the event is targeted at high school students, Brock also has services available for current University students and weekly financial literacy drop-in sessions during the Fall and Winter Terms.