A Lesson before Graduation – 12th grade students of St. George’s High School participate in an activity as part of their preview of the Money Game. Creative Wealth Bahamas CEO Keshelle Kerr gave students the ‘12 Declarations’ they should make about their financial futures before they leave high school. Kerr visited St. George’s on Friday, January 29, 2010 ahead of Saturday’s workshop.

Freeport , Grand Bahama - A group of local teenagers spent this past Saturday afternoon becoming financially empowered. Students from schools throughout Grand Bahama participated in The Money Game, a fun financial workshop facilitated by Creative Wealth Bahamas and Barefoot Marketing. Pelican Bay proudly sponsored one student from each of the three Government schools. The one day workshop was held at the Foster B. Pestaina Centre in Freeport.

Creative Wealth Bahamas CEO Keshelle Kerr gave the group in-depth advice and the tools they would need to properly manage their future income, spend wisely and invest. “The key thing is to teach them how to pay themselves first. They actually were able to experience what it is to live the lifestyle of an adult and understand through experience. She explained, “Once teens begin to see that they can turn the little they make on a job into a lot and become financially free, their minds begin to race and they want to learn more and more.”

Thank You – Creative Wealth Bahamas CEO Keshelle Kerr is presented with a token of appreciation. Kerr gave students at Lucaya International School a few tips on how to become financially free while addressing an assembly on Friday, January 29, 2010. Pictured (from left) Head Boy, Revanno Smith; School Counselor, Erin Carroll; CEO Creative Wealth Bahamas, Keshelle Kerr; Head Boy, Conner Goodrum.

In this current economic climate, Kerr said young people should embrace entrepreneurism. “As time changes, more and more we see that jobs are not as secure as they once were. It is extremely important for young people to know they can create their own wealth without having to work for someone else for long periods of time.”

As part of the lesson, teens heard inspiring stories of young people who have made it big. “They learned about teenagers who started businesses at the age of nine and became millionaires before they graduated high school. Kerr stressed, “I want parents to expose their children, get them to read about successful persons and know they too can achieve that same level of success.”

We Did It – Money Game participants surround their financial advisor and CEO of Creative Wealth Bahamas, Keshelle Kerr, following their one day session on Saturday, January 29, 2010 at the Foster B. Pestaina Centre. Students represented various schools throughout Grand Bahama. The workshop was facilitated by Creative Wealth Bahamas and Barefoot Marketing.

The Money Game got rave reviews from the teenagers who participated on the weekend. Pedro Pratt said, “The workshop was very important. It taught us to start early to become successful and helped to create a mindset of saving rather than spending.”

Seventeen year old Laniqua Martin loves to shop. “This has really helped me! I came here as a spender, and I’m learning that I should be more balanced. I know now that I should also invest my money into things that will help me later on.”

“There should be more people attending this,” shared Vonette Malakius. “It would help the economy if everyone were to spend wisely.”

For Antonio Russell it was a lesson in cutting down. “The workshop taught me to focus on necessities. We should save our money and only get the extras when you can actually afford them.”

While the group was small, the results were anything but. “I was a bit disappointed in the turnout to be honest,” said Sarah Kirkby, Owner of Barefoot Marketing. “But I was overwhelmed by the success of the kids. They were brilliant!” Kirkby, who met Keshelle in Nassau and was very impressed with what she was doing to educate young people about money said, “They were attentive, it was fun, and they looked really interested the whole time. I think they learned a lot today and I’m hoping these kids are the success stories of the future.”

Ahead of Saturday’s workshop, Keshelle spoke at two local schools. 12^th Money Game on Friday. Creative Wealth Bahamas and Barefoot Marketing plan to team up again in March to offer the Money Game workshop to more teens on the island.