Education Grant WinnerMichelle Cortez

Michelle Cortez serves first-grade students in La Vernia Independent School District, where she is dedicated to helping young learners understand how classroom lessons connect to real life. With a passion for building strong foundations early, Michelle believes even the youngest students can grasp meaningful concepts when learning is hands-on, engaging, and rooted in experience. Her work reflects a deep commitment to preparing children not just for the next grade, but for the choices they will one day make beyond school.

That belief comes to life through the First Grade Financial Store, a Firstmark Foundation funded project that transforms financial literacy into an immersive, campus wide experience. Each year, first grade classes create their own classroom “stores,” where students earn play money through daily classroom jobs, positive behavior, and completing tasks tied to math and social studies lessons. With support from the Firstmark Foundation, Michelle and her team added classroom cash registers and materials so students could create, advertise, buy, and sell products—bringing lessons about goods and services, saving versus spending, and decision making to life in a tangible way.

The impact reaches more than 240 students across all first grade classrooms. As children earn paychecks, budget their money, and explain the choices they make, they develop critical thinking, responsibility, and confidence alongside math skills. The First Grade Financial Store doesn’t just teach numbers—it builds early financial awareness and shows students that their work, choices, and habits have value, setting the stage for thoughtful decision making long after first grade ends.