At Woodland High School, veteran educator Mary Primus has been shaping young minds in Dorchester, SC since the school’s opening in 1999. She teaches a variety of subjects, from keyboarding to entrepreneurship, and now focuses on Advanced Personal Finance, a mandatory component in the curriculum following the 2022 state mandate for a half-credit financial literacy course required for graduation.

Woodland High School, the only high school in Dorchester District 04, has 612 students in grades 9-12 and grapples with challenges reflected in the school’s 1-star rating from SchoolDigger. Sixty-four percent of students passed South Carolina’s High School Assessment Program (HSAP) on the first try, compared to 84% in neighboring districts. In the 2023-2024 school year, only 28% of Woodland High students were proficient in Algebra 1/Mathematics, compared to 39% in the Dorchester 04 district and 73% statewide. With a 60% minority enrollment and 100% of students considered economically disadvantaged, the school struggles to rise above its perception and overcome the obstacles to academic and personal success.

Growing up in an environment where discussions about finances were few and far between, Russell discovered at 17 years old, during her freshman year at Coastal Carolina University, that she had a lot to learn about the complexities of personal finance. Her engagement with students in the very classroom where she once sat is a poignant reminder of the importance of early exposure to responsible money management. Russell speaks on healthy financial habits to help them make informed decisions and steer clear of the challenges she faced along her own financial journey.

Sharing in Russell’s experience, Primus encourages parent-child dialogues about money. “Parents should share more with their children about the family’s finances and how money is managed,” said Primus. “Without open communication, we deny our children the opportunity to learn the decision-making behind our financial choices.”

Economic challenges within the community and schools might deter some, yet for Primus, they highlight the importance of setting students up for financial self- sufficiency. For Russell, it’s an indicator that bringing financial education to underserved populations is crucial for both individual and community success.

“Cassandra is the product of the very same community as these kids,” Primus said. “People don’t think there are good people who come out of Woodland, but there are.” Primus is acutely aware of the challenges her students face, some of whom are children of former students. “Some of these kids have parents working 2-3 jobs, so they have to look after their younger siblings, and some are working part-time to make ends meet. It’s a cycle,” remarked Primus. In the front row sits a student who works night shifts, often struggling to stay awake during class due to his late working hours.