Before heading back to college at Georgia Tech, two young men
stopped by to share with me what they had been doing over the summer. One told
me how his summer co-op program in the middle of Silicone Valley had opened his
eyes to the great world outside this small Southwest Georgia town. Not only was
his apartment rent more than what most people make in a month here, he still
had to pay for his lights, phone and food. We laughed together as he talked
about sleeping on the floor for a while because he had no furniture and needed
to save up money. The other young man worked several jobs over the summer to
save money for school and was ready to return to school to complete his degree
as a mechanical engineer.
As proud as I am of these young men, a young lady who visits
the bank regularly makes me equally as proud.
Raised by a single father, this young lady works typically 5 days a
week, while attending a local college and saving up to attend UGA. As she
walked in my office this week she raised her hand with the anticipation of a
HIGH-FIVE! As I raised my hand to
oblige, she proclaimed loudly, I just paid off my loan. Undeniably an accomplishment she was quite
proud of as was I.
While priding myself on helping to empower young people by
teaching them the fundamentals of personal finance, I have come to realize that
no amount of teaching is more powerful than life experiences. And to each one I
said, GO NOLES as they exited.
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