‘Money Matters,’ Created By Bay Area Nonprofit 10,000 Degrees, Intended To Help Students From Low-Income Backgrounds Better Understand The Importance Of Making Informed College Financial Decisions
San Rafael, Calif. (April 14, 2025) – 10,000 Degrees, an organization dedicated to unlocking student success at scale by giving more students equitable opportunities for a quality college education and career success, will host ‘Money Matters,’ two days of interactive financial aid literacy workshops for more than 540 students at Andrew Hill High School in San Jose on Wednesday, April 16, and Thursday, April 17.
‘Money Matters,’ created by local nonprofit 10,000 Degrees, is designed to help Bay Area students from low-income backgrounds understand their college financial aid options, provide education, and remove barriers to help students realize that post-secondary education can be affordable.
About ‘Money Matters’
At the ‘Money Matters’ workshops, students are given a mock college acceptance letter with tuition costs and a financial aid package. At the workshops, participating high school students are tasked to juggle set budgets and flexible pricing for college-related expenses (including books, transportation, technology, meal plans, housing, social life, and personal care). The students then rotate between 10 stations, facilitated by 10,000 Degrees staff and community volunteers. At each station, students are challenged to make difficult budgeting decisions, including being encouraged to spend more than they should on products and services they may or may not need to demonstrate the results of poor financial decision-making. Students are also given advice on financially responsible decision-making and are encouraged to seek scholarships and financial aid at the 10,000 Degrees station.
‘Money Matters’ Objectives:
- Students learn through their decision-making that college is possible and affordable by accessing free financial aid and making thoughtful and informed choices about where to spend their money.
- Students develop their advocacy skills by discovering what steps they need to take to find additional financial resources.
- Students learn the importance of submitting a financial aid application (FAFSA/CADAA).
- Students begin to understand college-related expenses and how financial aid plays a role in reducing out-of-pocket costs.
- Students meet 10,000 Degrees staff and learn more about 10,000 Degrees programs, services, and resources offered at their campus.
- Students receive information about scholarships, administered by 10,000 Degrees.
- Students learn how the 10,000 Degrees College Access Program can help with college prep – a program that supports students during their high school senior year and college journey.
“10,000 Degrees is focused on helping students enter and graduate from college. However, the transition from high school to higher education can pose significant challenges, especially for those who are first in their families to pursue a college degree. ‘Money Matters’ aims to equip students with the practical knowledge and skills that will enable them to make smart college-related financial decisions,” said Jose Jimenez, college access director at 10,000 Degrees. “We’re also grateful for our corporate volunteers, whose expertise and contributions, alongside that of our committed staff, will ensure the success of this important student learning experience.”
“10,000 Degrees’ programs and resources have proven to help our students develop new skills and broaden their college aspirations. However, many students worry about the growing cost of a college education, and that can sometimes negatively impact academic performance and graduation rates,” said Glenn Vander Zee, superintendent for the East Side Union High School District and 10,000 Degrees Peninsula and South Bay advisory board member. “Financial literacy programs such as ‘Money Matters’ can help students alleviate some college-affordability concerns, while also providing students with the necessary resources to help them attend and successfully complete a college education.”
Community Support
Volunteers scheduled to attend ‘Money Matters’ at Andrew Hill High School come from various companies and organizations, including AAA, Equinix, Evergreen School District, IEQ, Patelco, Poppy Bank, Okta, Salesforce, Santa Clara County, Sobrato, Silicon Valley Bank, Star One Credit Union and U.S. Bank.
Community volunteers and 10,000 Degrees staff members will work together at the ‘Money Matters’ workshop to help students better understand the risks and challenges associated with making certain college-related budgeting decisions. Volunteers will be placed at various stations to sell items to students visiting their tables. In many cases, they will be tasked to “upsell” students on expensive items or help them pick the “financially responsible” item. This will also be an opportunity for students to interact with volunteers, many of whom work at financial institutions, and to see 10,000 Degrees programming in action.