This article takes a look at TeenNavigate, a nonprofit run by students in Marin County that’s all about teaching financial literacy to high schoolers getting ready for college.
Two local teens started it—Cole Lawson, a junior at Tamalpais High School in Mill Valley, and Wyatt Janover, a junior at Marin Catholic High School in Kentfield. They’ve gotten Marin’s business community involved, raising money for scholarships and sharing practical money tips with youth across the North Bay.
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Already, you can see the program’s influence in cities like San Rafael, Novato, and Sausalito. Plans are in motion to reach even more schools and nonprofits in 2024 and beyond.
Marin Teens Turn Financial Literacy into Action
TeenNavigate works alongside local financial firms and family businesses and has pulled together about $21,000 for scholarships. Awards range from $500 up to $3,000.
The program’s online, totally free, and so far about 35 students have signed up. Their outreach touches around 40 schools and a handful of nonprofits all over Marin, from San Anselmo to Ross and beyond.
How TeenNavigate Works
It’s a pretty straightforward three-step process that mixes practical money skills with a little healthy competition. First, participants go through a financial literacy lesson.
Then there’s a short quiz, followed by a hypothetical financial case study where students give advice on investing, spending, or saving. Student and adult judges look over the submissions, check how many people applied, and take into account the funds raised to pick scholarship winners.
- First place award up to $3,000
- Second place up to $2,000
- Third place up to $1,000
- Multiple $500 awards for other strong submissions
Since both peers and experienced mentors serve as judges, the process feels balanced—mixing fresh perspectives with practical wisdom. The result? Real scholarship money for the students whose plans stand out.
Founders and Inspiration
Lawson came up with the idea for TeenNavigate last fall, wanting to give high schoolers a chance to hear directly from local finance and STEM leaders. Many of these leaders offer advice based on what’s actually worked for them.
He borrowed some ideas from a Wharton School online investing course he’d attended, but added the competitive case-study twist to get more students involved and make learning stick. Both founders say the experience has been deeply rewarding, and it’s taught them a lot about outreach, scaling up, and handling the inevitable hiccups of running a program across Marin County campuses.
Impact Across Marin County Schools
All over Marin—from Tiburon and Belvedere to San Rafael and Novato—people are noticing that teens are starting to think differently about money and opportunity. In Mill Valley, teachers have seen students who didn’t have access to real-world money advice before now joining online modules, case studies, and group chats led by TeenNavigate’s mentors.
In Ross and Larkspur, families are watching high schoolers use what they’ve learned to make college savings plans, weigh student loans, and build budgets with more confidence. The online format keeps the program free and open to everyone, no matter what school they attend or their family’s income level.
Where the Program Expands Next
Looking forward, TeenNavigate wants to reach even more students and attract new donors to help more kids in Marin County. Lawson and Janover are hoping to connect with more high schools in places like Novato, San Rafael, and San Anselmo, plus team up with nonprofits that serve underrepresented youth.
The big idea? Keep bringing in local finance and STEM leaders for interviews, keep growing the scholarship pool, and help more students benefit from the three-step program. If you’re interested in supporting or signing up, check out TeenNavigate.org for details and news about upcoming events in Fairfax, Corte Madera, and beyond.
Get Involved in Marin’s Financial-Future Movement
There’s a growing network of parents, educators, and business leaders across Marin—from Mill Valley to San Rafael and Novato. TeenNavigate gives students a practical path to financial literacy that sticks with them long after graduation.
If you’re part of a Marin firm, or maybe a local donor looking to invest in tomorrow’s creators, engineers, and executives, you might want to support this initiative. TeenNavigate.org has details on scholarships, getting involved, and ways you can help expand Marin County students’ financial know-how and future opportunities.
Here is the source article for this story: Marin teen nonprofit promotes financial skills
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