Auditor General DeFoor and Good as Gold Foundation Bring Financial Literacy Game Show to Martin Luther King High School
High school classrooms usually trade in worksheets and quiet lectures, but a Philadelphia gymnasium looked and sounded entirely different. Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor teamed up with the Good as Gold Foundation to host a live financial literacy game show called ‘Gold Minds‘ at Martin Luther King High School, turning personal finance fundamentals into a competitive sport for teenagers preparing for life after graduation.
The event is part of the foundation’s broader Youth Development Program. Students tackled core money concepts including personal finance fundamentals, saving and investing, risk and insurance, and credit through fast-paced competition. Before the game show began, students participated in a Resource Hour to connect directly with financial institutions and community organizations.
Financial literacy is key for our students to build a path towards success. But we must also get them interested in financial literacy, and what better way to do that than to create a competition. This game show gives them the opportunity to learn more about finances while also keeping them excited. — Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor
Founded in 2022 by Monayia Everett and Janée Sanders, the Good as Gold Foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit focused on bridging the gap between poverty and wealth through financial education, homeownership readiness, financial relief, and youth development. Since its inception, the organization has reached more than 6,000 individuals across Pennsylvania through initiatives like Golden Workshops, Golden Keys, Golden Grants, and youth programs such as Gold Minds.
“We created Gold Minds because we believe financial literacy should be more than something students learn in a classroom,” said Monayia Everett and Janée Sanders, Co-Founders and Co-Executive Directors of the foundation. “We wanted to create an experience that makes learning about money exciting, engaging, and memorable. Our goal is to equip young people with the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions as they prepare for life beyond high school. This is just the beginning of what we envision for Gold Minds.”
A Statewide Push for Youth Financial Education
The Philadelphia event builds on statewide outreach led by the Department of the Auditor General. Since launching the ‘Be Money $mart’ initiative in 2021, Auditor General DeFoor has traveled to promote financial education across Pennsylvania.
His outreach includes a statewide art contest where students designed the cover of a financial literacy activity book, classroom visits with teachers and high school students, and community engagements at YMCAs across the Commonwealth. The department has also worked with Junior Achievement to emphasize financial literacy messages for elementary students through BizTown simulations and partnered with the CrossState Credit Union Association and other credit unions and financial institutions to promote free financial resources, including hosting ‘Money $mart Mondays’ with PSECU.
As state leaders continue to experiment with gamified education and direct community partnerships, programs like ‘Gold Minds’ offer a blueprint for how institutions can engage teenagers before they face critical financial choices.
