The Bedford-Stuyvesant area of Brooklyn, NY doesn’t receive alot of great press. In fact, it has historically been one of the more dangerous places for young black children to grow up. However, things are changing and opportunity does live in this area thanks to the BAGF.

Brooklyn’s Adademy of Global Finance is a school in this neighborhood who are giving these children hope, happiness and a chance to succeed in life. The mission of BAGF is to prepare students for both their post-secondary education and the global economy.

From their about us page: BAGF provides an environment where students are academically challenged and are able to experience the real-world applications of their learning, through exciting internships and other opportunities to interact with our partners in the business and financial industries.  

Our values of academic rigor, financial literacy, awareness of the diverse cultures and economies of the world, and exposure to and experience in the corporate world are evident in our coursework and interdisciplinary curricula.  Field trips, job shadowing, and internships give students a unique and up-close view of the financial industry.

What do the students study?

[ADSENSE2]Students study a sequence in business and finance along with high school requirements leading to either a Regents Diploma or an Advanced Regents Diploma and admission into college. All students complete a rigorous curriculum aligned to NYS State and Common Core Learning Standards.

Our Finance and Business curriculum is provided by the National Academy Foundation (NAF) and is aligned to industry standards. Students build a portfolio of their learning and development of their professional identity through their four years in the school culminating in a presentation to a panel prior to graduation. Students are also  exposed to college, with an emphasis on degree programs in business and finance.  

The school is small compared to other schools in the area, but this is what they believe gives them the advantage. Students and teachers are able to get to know one another on a personal basis and have time to really sit, listen, ask questions and learn instead of having to accommodate oversized classrooms. These students seem to really benefit from this environment.

The kicker is the $500,000 gift GAGF received to build a state of the art, stock market trading floor complete with Bloomberg terminals and investment portfolios for students. They able to learn the inner workings of global finance first hand, practice on a trading floor and build a high school experience unlike many in the world.

These students are getting an excellent opportunity to not only get a great education, but also learn about the world of high finance, get into great schools and hopefully join this world to take their careers and lives to the next level.

Website: Brooklyn Academy of Global Finance