“That's Not For Us"

How One Student Disrupted Our Approach to Charter School Development

"That's not for us." This was one student’s response to a question posed by Mike Mann, a twenty-year veteran school principal at North Star Academy in Newark.

Mike had asked his financial literacy class what they thought about the city's recent investments - the downtown rehabilitation, the new Whole Foods, Starbucks, and restaurants popping up across Newark.

"Nobody made those investments for us. They definitely don't want me in Whole Foods."  

Even though not commenting directly on school development, the student’s comment speaks to a larger truth: too often, capital flows around communities instead of through them—missing the very people it was meant to uplift.

If you work in economic development, this reality is jarring. Many of us work on the principle that a rising tide lifts all boats.

But the data tells a different story. Income disparities are growing. 

At the same time, each year charter school real estate projects build wealth for developers, lenders, and landlords. Not for students.

This is a missed opportunity. 

Research shows that youth with access to even modest financial assets show stronger college attendance, completion rates, and future savings behavior. Students with savings of just $500 are 4× more likely to graduate from college than peers without.

So at PS wrx, we are asking a new question: What if we flip school buildings from cost centers to sustainable sources of wealth-building for students? Students become investors who earn returns alongside market players.

Introducing PS wrx's Learning Finance:

• Real dollars to students,

• Experiential financial curriculum where students learn to budget and invest - with real dollars, on their own account, and 

• Sustainable recycling capital funding for schools

Learning Finance is set to be the investment boost that helps all the boats rise - this time with students on board.