South Carolina Treasurer Curtis Loftis has named Dr. Michael Crosby of Sangaree Middle School as the October Educator of the Month for the South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program, an initiative Loftis established to expand the number of educators teaching personal finance education across the state.
A press release shared by the Office of the State Treasurer last week said the South Carolina Financial Literacy Master Teacher Program provides financial incentives to K-12 teachers who are experts in personal finance education and have a passion to share this knowledge with their peers. Since 2020, this ground-breaking program has provided specialized training and free personal finance curriculum resources that better enable them to promote financial literacy education in K-12 schools. It is sponsored by Future Scholar, South Carolina’s 529 College Savings Plan, and in partnership with SC Economics.
After a successful career in the construction sector, Crosby shifted his focus to education, using his business management and MBA degrees and real-world experience to focus on the importance of STEM and finance in his classrooms, according to the press release. He was concurrently working on his doctorate in education, focusing on curriculum, instruction and assessment.
Crosby is now in his 17th year teaching, as well as his fifth year at Sangaree Middle. Crosby said making sure people understand money and budgeting has always been important to him – especially in regards to youth.
“I am most happy when my students show an understanding when their parents express their feelings about paying bills,” Crosby said. “Sometimes they may come back and say, ‘I talked to my dad last night about our budget.'”
Treasurer Loftis commended Crosby’s for his efforts to educate students on making financial decisions.
"I am grateful for enthusiastic educators like Dr. Michael Crosby who are making a positive difference in educating our young people about the realities of managing their money," Treasurer Loftis said in the press release. "Equipping his students with the knowledge they need to make informed decisions and avoid the pitfalls many adults currently face will go a long way in ensuring their financial well-being.”
Crosby said teaching financial education to his community is very important and he is committed to preparing his students to take care of themselves later on in life.
“Many adults in our community struggle because they were not taught how to handle their finances, but their children can change the future by using the tools we are providing in the classroom to forge a different journey,” he said in the press release. “I’m excited to be part of that cultural change.”
Sangaree Middle Interim Principal Nicholas Snyder said Crosby is an exemplary teacher at the school.
“He holds high standards for his students, and helps maintain those standards in and around the building,” Snyder said.
