Summer jobs can offer lasting financial lessons for Arizona youth

By Stacy Mantle
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As summer approaches, many Arizona families are navigating a familiar question: how to turn a child’s first paycheck into something more than short-term spending.

For students earning money through part-time jobs, babysitting or chores, the season can serve as an early, and often overlooked, entry point into financial literacy. 

Arizona has taken steps to integrate financial literacy into graduation requirements, but currently, students receive only about 12 to 15 hours of instruction — often embedded within economics courses rather than taught as a standalone subject. State leaders have acknowledged that gap, with new proposals aiming to expand financial education requirements in the coming years. 

At Gainey Business Bank, that opportunity is being reframed as part of a broader community investment strategy. Through a partnership with Scottsdale-based BusyKid, the bank is offering families free access to the “Earn & Learn” app, designed to help children build financial habits through real-world practice.

“This is about how we give back to the community,” said Rob Schwister, president of Gainey Business Bank. “If we want strong businesses in the future, we need people who understand money early — how to earn it, how to manage it and how to grow it.”

Turning summer earnings into structure

The Earn & Learn model is available for children ages 7 to 17 and uses a consistent, hands-on approach: earn money, then allocate it across three core categories — spend, save or invest and give.

“It’s not just about giving kids money,” Schwister said. “It’s about giving them a system. When they can actually see where their money is going, it becomes tangible.”

The app allows parents to assign chores, track earnings and create a structured system that mirrors real financial decision-making. Children can use a QR code to receive payments digitally from neighbors or family members and manage their money through a parent-monitored account.

Building habits early

The structure is designed to reinforce repetition and visibility, two factors experts say are critical in habit formation.  Arizona leaders have increasingly pointed to financial literacy as a gap in education.

“Financial education is a critical life skill that provides a solid foundation for success,” said State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, who has advocated for expanding access to financial education statewide. “The overall health of our economy depends on the financial decisions of our individual citizens.”

“Kids need something that’s consistent, positive and tangible,” Schwister said. “This creates an environment where they’re learning by doing, not just being told what to do.”

The platform introduces foundational concepts such as saving, investing and charitable giving in age-appropriate ways. Children can choose nonprofits to support and begin to understand long-term concepts, such as compound interest.

“They start thinking bigger,” Schwister said. “It becomes, ‘How can I earn more? What can I do differently?’ That mindset shift is huge.”

Parent involvement remains key

While the technology provides structure, Schwister emphasized that parent engagement is what makes the difference.

“This tool forces interaction between parents and kids,” he said. “The conversations are the most important part.”

Inconsistent follow-through is one of the most common challenges families face. Without regular engagement, financial lessons tend to fade.

One family, he said, reported the app “completely changed their household,” turning daily friction over chores and money into a more positive, goal-oriented system.

A Summer Opportunity

With fewer academic demands during summer, families may have more flexibility to build routines around earning and saving.

“Summer is the perfect time to start,” Schwister said. “There’s more opportunity for kids to earn and more time for parents to be involved.”

For students already working, or planning to, pairing those earnings with a structured system can help bridge the gap between income and understanding.

Building financial confidence

Schwister said the long-term goal is not just financial knowledge, but confidence.

“We used to have our kids read books like The Wealthy Barber and reward them at the end,” he said. “This takes it a step further. This is real life.”

As financial tools continue to evolve, early exposure may play an increasingly important role in preparing students for adulthood.

“Start early,” Schwister said. “It pays off in ways that go far beyond money.”

Editor’s note: A grant from the Arizona Local News Foundation made this story possible. The foundation awarded 15 newsrooms to pay for solutions-focused education reporters for two years. Please submit comments at yourvalley.net/letters or email them to AzOpinions@iniusa.org. We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our Civility Guidelines.

Stacy Mantle
Education Solutions Reporter

smantle@iniusa.org

Meet Stacy
Stacy Mantle is joining the team at Independent Newsmedia, Inc. as an Education Solutions journalist, thanks to a grant from the Arizona Community Collaborative. She has a long history in education that ranges from teaching junior high and middle school to developing curriculum and standards-based assessments.

Community: A longtime advocate for animal welfare, Stacy is deeply involved in rescue efforts and volunteers with several nonprofit organizations.

Random Fact: Once upon a time, she shared her home with a pet coyote and two wolf hybrids. The experiences were wild enough to become the subject of her first book!

Education: She holds a BA in English with a minor in Political Science, a Post-baccalaureate in Secondary Education, and an MBA with a emphasis on Marketing.

Hobbies: In her spare time, Stacy writes fast-paced urban fantasy novels, crafts small-batch artisan soap, and is always up for hiking or off-roading through the Arizona wilderness with her husband of 23 years.