MHS teacher earns state award for financial education

Milton Hershey School Teacher (MHS) Matt Bergman was among five Pennsylvania teachers honored for their efforts to improve financial education in their schools and communities. Bergman received a Ripple Effect Award during the Governor's Institute on Financial Education at Elizabethtown College for his Financial Literacy Challenge program for MHS high school students.

Bergman developed the program with one of the School's career counselors and a representative of Members 1st Federal Credit Union. The voluntary program utilizes both classroom instruction and a sims computer game that enables students to put what they learned into practice. Students also formulate a personal action plan that describes how they will actually use what they learned from the experience. As an added incentive, participants are eligible to win a $500 scholarship toward college textbooks.

"Money is a taboo topic in our society. Many people want to look like they have it, when they really don't. Yet no one wants to talk about their debt problems," Bergman said. "I hope to teach kids about using money wisely before they make mistakes and it has a negative impact on their lives."

Bergman is a second-year teacher at MHS. He previously taught at Cocalico High School, where he also earned a Ripple Effect Award, and at Eastern Lebanon County (ELCO) Middle School. He earned a bachelor's degree in business secondary education from Delaware Valley College and a master's degree in education and a principal's certificate from Alvernia University.

Bergman resides in Lititz with his wife Jen and their two children, Savannah, 5, and Trey, 2.

Milton Hershey School Teacher Matt Bergman (center) accepts a Ripple Effect Award for financial literacy education from Mary Rosenkrantz, director of the Pennsylvania Department of Financial Education, and State Secretary of Banking Glenn Moyer.