Program Review - Financial Planning After High School

On Thursday, November 8th of 2018 the teen room hosted a program presented by Business Librarian Andrew Zollman on financial planning after high school for teens. Teen Blog contributor Nina Hook was at that program and this is what she thought of it.

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"I am constantly anxious about the future. I think it’s very easy to get caught up thinking about years to come, and how you are going to figure everything out. While the future is unknown, and there is no reason to fret about it, there are ways to plan accordingly to give you the best future possible. 

I recently attended a talk about financial plans after high school for teens at the Yuma County Library and it truly opened my mind to so many options that I didn’t even realize I had. It helped me understand the infinite number of roads the future as in store for me. With the immense variety of topics we covered, this talk was applicable to any and every teen! 

Also, the discussion was great because it answered so many questions that I didn’t even think I needed to ask! There is so much to living on your own that teens don’t even realize. While it was realistic, it helped me understand what I was getting in to, so I could succeed. 

I am pretty set on going to Tennessee for college. I cannot begin to express how much this discussion helped me on figuring out every inch of my move concerning my finances. There were things brought up that I did not even realize were going to financially affect me and my lifestyle. In addition to helping me figure out my financial plans, the discussion shared many helpful tips to help my budget!

Overall, there are 101 ways to get to where you want to go! But I highly recommend figuring out your financial situation before graduating so you can be as prepared as possible. There are so many things unknown to us teenagers, that information like the one I got from the discussion, is vital. 

~Submitted by Nina Hook.

Recommended Reads: The Mermaid Upstairs

The book “The Mermaid Upstairs” by Jami Lilo easily captivated me from the first chapter. The riveting, unique story keeps you on edge throughout the whole book while the realistic aspects relate to your everyday life!

As a teenager, the main character, who is around my age, has a very different life than mine. Nevertheless, I found myself relating to her in so many ways. Rules, boys, and school have never felt so relatable before. The perfect mix of fantasy and reality is found in “The Mermaid Upstairs” and I read the book faster than any before. The anticipation, love, and imagination that was poured into this book is not only eye catching, but mind catching. 

The use of detail to describe the overwhelming change in the protagonist’s life makes the reader feel as if they are experiencing it themselves, without boring them with useless information. When reading in my everyday life, I find myself drifting away from the words due to the overuse of details. However, in “The Mermaid Upstairs” the amount of detail used created an intricate image in my mind while keeping me on focus with the book. The interesting, vivid use of details help the reader zone into the fantasy of the book, while relating to the character’s very real, true problems that many teenage girls have. 

“The Mermaid Upstairs” relates to teenage girls my age and helps us realize we are not alone in our problems with boys, school, family issues, and other similar problems. It shows us the importance of family, to respect your parents, and to be true to yourself in an interesting, fantasy-like way. Showing the true importance of family is often not seen in teenage books, whose main focus is typically romance. However, “The Mermaid Upstairs” captures the importance of family, romance, and friendship all in one. It truly relates, entertains, and shows the morals needed in this world to all, especially the teenage age group. I highly recommend reading it, for it will give you a completely new perspective. 

Submitted by Nina Hook.

(Hi guys - this is Elia. Just letting you know that we do not have this book at the Library at this time, but Nina liked it so much I will do my best to order it for the teen room so we have it to check out! Keep an eye on the catalog to see when it is in!)

Program Review: Debit, Credit and Alternative Forms of Payment

On Thursday, August 16th, Business Librarian Andrew Zollman took over the teen room at the Main Library to host a program about finances for teens. This is the first program in a series of financial classes on different topics specially for teens. Blogger Nina Hook was at the program and she tells us what she thought.

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"As teenagers, most of us are learning responsibility little by little from the things we do wrong and the praise we get when we do right. However, one of the biggest responsibilities in life that sometimes never gets taught is money management.

On a Thursday evening, I attended an informational session on credit, debit, and cash for teenagers that really opened my mind and gave me a new perspective. Walking in, I felt confident in my responsibility and my knowledge on the subject, but walking out, I had a new perspective due to all the important pieces of information that I hadn’t known.

The program hit on the vital basic knowledge of credit, debit, and cash while diving deeper into tips and tricks, like when to use what. The basic knowledge was so important to understanding the concepts and ideas that came later. In addition, knowing when to use what truly helped me realize how much better I could be managing my money.

The session touched on subjects from basic credit card formats to money markets and how to keep a high credit score. For teenagers, this is such a helpful approach because every teenager is at a different level when it comes to their prior knowledge of money management.

The second I got home, I ran to my dad to tell him how much I’ve learned in just a short hour and how I wanted to start another savings account with a higher interest rate to save for college, or my adulthood, and other similar things. This idea sprung to my head during the informational when the speaker informed us about the importance of a savings account with a high interest rate, especially if you are wanting more long-term growth. My dad, surprised as ever, was very eager and happy to look into it for me and very grateful for the informational I attended.

Young adults often have crazy busy lives and already plenty of responsibilities, but we often forget that there are so many more important things to learn. There are things to learn that are applicable to our lives right now and their importance should not be underestimated. Money management through credit, debit, and cash truly opened my eyes to a new perspective. It encouraged me to get a financial start on my life now and I highly encourage that you take that opportunity too. "

Submitted by Nina Hook. 

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Andrew Zollman will be offering his next program in our teen finance series on Thursday, September 20th in the teen room at Main Library. This session will focus on the different types of banks out there and the different types of accounts they offer. The program is for ages 13-18 but parents are welcome too if they are accompanied by a teen. 

What I Love About the Library - by a Teen Volunteer

Coziness, kindness, and clarity are just a few words to describe the library and all it brings. 

Being a teen myself, I always want time away from home, friends, and all the stress and drama of life, making the library the best place to get my mind off things. Not only can teens benefit from the selection of books, movies, and magazines, they can also benefit from the atmosphere that makes you feel at home and allows you to escape your troubles. 

Reading is something that transports you and expands your knowledge and imagination. Reading makes you who you are, and helps you grow. However, I truly need peace and quiet to allow reading to grow my imagination and transport me to many different places. Though peace and solitude are rarely found in busy lives, the library helps you gain the much needed space and explore worlds unknown. 

Teens can gain much by meeting new people with similar interests as well! The library is full of people who want and crave the same things you do. While quietness can be achieved, so can expanding your horizons by meeting people that you can connect with. The summer reading program for children, teens, and adults is a great example of how reading and music can truly speak to people and bring them together.

I volunteer twice a week at the library and I can truly see children’s minds expanding and growing due to not only the great reading time, but the making of new friends. Reading expands their imagination and creativity but meeting new friends that have the same interests as them makes them feel comfortable and happy. Seeing smiley children talking about their favorite books and truly connecting is a beautiful sight to see. 

The best of both worlds can easily be achieved for kids of all ages due to the ability to connect with others while still having tranquility and peace. In addition, the immense variety of all different types of books, magazines, and even movies truly help children find their passion and can expand their imagination immensely. For myself, my favorite part about reading is the ability to be completely taken captive by the characters, settings, and plots of the book. The library truly helps you transport yourself to worlds unknown and allows you to indulge in foreign places, people, and stories. The peaceful, welcoming environment helps you truly find your place, whether that is inside a book or connecting with others! 

Submitted by Nina Hook, Library Volunteer