The Media and Technology Charter High School
By David L. Harris
January 16, 2004

Local Kids Learning How To Manage Their Money.

When she was in high school in Roxbury a few years ago, Marie Wright got herself in major credit card debt.

Now, as the host of BET's popular program, "106 and Park," Wright, known to the rest of the world as "Free," has made it her mission to educate high school students about money.

"They have to understand what money means outside of the candy store," said Wright, who helped launch a financial awareness program at the Media and Technology Charter High School on Commonwealth Avenue last Friday. The program, called "Investing Pays Off" and sponsored by Merrill Lynch, is geared exclusively toward high school freshmen. Wright's organization, the Free4Life Foundation, co-sponsors the program.

The 60-hour program, which runs for five months, will introduce students to a variety of finance-related coursework, from learning how to save money to learning fundamentals about the stock market. They'll have some help, of course.

Wright will compete alongside the students in "The Stock Market Game," an Internet-based stock-buying game created by the Securities Industry Association. Having a starlet like Wright as a motivator and mentor doesn't hurt the program's goal of educating the students about financial decision-making.

"The real dream for me is that [Free's participation] will turn the students on," said Alan Safran, executive director of the MATCH School.

Safran said that nearly three-quarters of the students in the freshmen class come from homes that are below the poverty line. The school is highly competitive: of the 450 applicants that applied to this year's class, only 60 spots were open. Most students must commute at least an hour from disadvantaged neighborhoods to get to the school.

"This teaches kids how to be business savvy," said Eddy Bayardelle, head of global philanthropy at Merril Lynch. "This program says that we know you're going to be a success."

"It's not like teaching the regular way," Bayardelle added. "It's all about exposure."

When the students took their seats inside MATCH's auditorium, Safran expressed his confidence in them.

"We make a promise that if you work hard, you'll succeed," Safran told the group of students gathered for the special assembly. When Safran told the students that they will have to work on some Saturdays, a chorus of sighs sounded. The program will serve as an eighth class, Safran said.

A question-and-answer period followed the launch of the program. And while most students' questions focused on Wright's star power - she will enter the music scene this spring with her debut album - the focus was brought back to finance.

One student especially appreciated Wright's involvement.

"It's going to be good," said Sable Covil, 14, who introduced Wright to the excited group of youngsters. "I hope to learn about my future."