Ella Gupta is a 16 year old high school student in North Carolina who published a book about money for her peers in Gen Z, called Gen Z Money $ense. 

Aside from being a young author, Ella is championing financial education and creating a movement called "Fin Ed for All" which she is posting content on social media to promote with the hashtag #finedforall. 

Students and teachers can sign the petition today to demand a guaranteed full semester of personal finance in high school! Teacher, parents and community members can all sign to show support and to join the movement. This petition needs OUR support! The more signatures she can garner in support of a guaranteed semester of personal finance class, the more attention she will get in the media for this movement. Her goal is to get the attention of legislators and school boards across the country because her home state of North Carolina is now implementing Economics and Personal Finance as a full year course and she believes that all teens in every state need and deserve this! 

When I got the email from Ella asking me to spread the word, I knew that I could do more. I helped her create a video to promote the petition and movement and consulted her on the creation of her Teen Ambassador Program for the FinEdForAll movement, which your students can apply for here! 

Ella is asking that educators: 

1) Sign the petition and spread to other teachers and school staff

2) Use the petition as a call to action for students in your financial education class - it's a great way for students to get some extra credit!

3) Have students share on social media and consider applying for the Ambassador Program

If you have questions for Ella about her advocacy work, you may reach her at: Ella_Gupta@caryacademy.org  

About the Author

Yanely Espinal

Born and raised by Dominican, immigrant parents in Brooklyn, Yanely is a proud product of NYC public schools. She graduated from Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School in 2007 before going on to receive her bachelor's degree at Brown University in 2011. As a Teach For America corps member, Yanely taught third and fourth grade in Canarsie, Brooklyn. She received her master's degree from Relay Graduate School of Education in 2013. She spends her spare time making YouTube videos about personal finance on her channel, MissBeHelpful. Yanely also loves to dance, sew, paint, listen to podcasts, and babysit her 10 nieces and nephews!