The Rhode Island Student Loan Authority (RISLA) has presented the New England Laborers’/Cranston Public Schools Construction & Career Academy with the 2015 “Financial Literacy Curriculum Leadership Award.”

The annual award is given to high schools in the state that have integrated financial literacy course work into the overall curriculum, or made it a requirement of graduation.

Dennis Curran, executive director, and Marilyn Coppola, World of Work instructor at the school, accepted the award from William Bianchi, who represented RISLA. The award aims to reward students who have acquired financial responsibility through a financial literacy program at their high school. With increased financial knowledge, students are more likely to borrow responsibly for their college education and are less likely to over-burden themselves with debt.

RISLA offers financial literacy seminars and classroom instruction in high schools, colleges, public libraries and non-profit organizations throughout Rhode Island. RISLA also offers an online financial literacy course at www.risla.com for those students who have not taken a course at their high school. All outreach efforts are focused on helping students and parents make sound financial decisions.