MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WTVF) — A lesson many adults say they wish they had learned sooner is starting much earlier for some Middle Tennessee students.
High schoolers in Smyrna are stepping into the classroom as teachers, helping fifth graders understand money, saving, and the choices that can shape their future.
Inside Poplar Hill Elementary School in Murfreesboro, the lesson is not coming from a textbook, but from students in Wally Luckeydoo's personal finance class at Smyrna High School.
"Personal finance is the most important class because we use it every single day," Luckeydoo said.
The high schoolers are taking the lead, guiding younger students through real-world money decisions as part of the Jump$tart Teen Teach-In. The national campaign is held each April during Financial Literacy Month.
The timing of the national push to make financial literacy a priority is significant. As of late 2025, 30 states require a standalone personal finance course to graduate, up from just 17 in 2022.
High school seniors, like Jaylin Maclin, are leading the conversation. For them, it is not just a class, but preparation.
"I feel like me personally, it’s helping me along in life, letting me learn about financial tips and hacks to move on in life," Maclin said.
Today, the high schoolers are passing that knowledge down, wrapping lessons about money in lessons about life.
"I don’t really look at it as homework. I look forward to doing it because it’s things that I require in life, such as credit, opportunity cost, and other financial tips," Maclin said.
For the younger students, the program is already making dollars and cents. Students like Knox are putting the lessons into action.
"So we could grow up and have nice things, a good house, good cars, and just all of that really," Knox said.
While the numbers may be small now, the habits are just beginning.
"We talk about all the real-life scenarios that students are going to face after they graduate high school, and they're also facing today," Luckeydoo said.
Whether it is a paycheck or a piggy bank, the lessons are meant to last.
"There’s not going to be a day that goes by where we’re not going to use financial literacy facts," said Luckeydoo.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Kelsey Gibbs and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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