Like a lot of guys his age, Miles Braxton is a fan of football video games.
"I play a lot of 'Madden,' " the 15-year-old sophomore at Thomas Jefferson High School said about the popular video game.
On Tuesday, he and other students at the Richmond school tackled a different version of the popular computer and console game genre: Financial Football.
The video game was developed by Visa Inc. as a fun way for students — and adults, too — to absorb some of the often difficult concepts of personal finance. As part of its financial education philanthropy, Visa is providing the game for free to 672 middle schools and high schools in Virginia, along with a classroom curriculum.
The game is modeled on other popular football video games. But in this version, advancing the ball and scoring touchdowns requires answering multiple-choice questions about financial matters, such as household budgeting, savings and investing.
The more difficult the questions you answer, the more likely your team will keep moving the ball down the field.
"We don't work on that kind of curriculum in school, but it is something that you should know," said Braxton, who hasn't taken a business class yet but wants to become a mechanical engineer.
"Even after that, everybody needs these (financial) skills to excel and manage," he said.
The special treat for Braxton and about 40 students at Thomas Jefferson on Tuesday morning was playing the game with Washington Redskins' wide receiver Santana Moss, who traveled to Richmond to help promote the game and financial literacy.
"Learn about managing your money," Moss told the students. "There is going to come a time when you are an adult, and you are going to need to know this. You have to plan for your future."
Financial Football is now being used in classrooms in 35 states, typically by teachers to supplement classroom instruction, said Jason Alderman, director of financial education for Visa.
The game also is available online at www.virginia.financialfootball.com.
There are versions of the game for middle school students, high school students, and even for adults.
"Learning about money management is lifelong," Alderman said, adding that the company also intends for parents to play it with their children.
"It is a good way to demystify a subject that has so many people frozen with fear," he said.
Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling also attended the event at Thomas Jefferson and led one team of students while Moss led another team.
"This is a wonderful program to teach financial literacy," Bolling said.
"From a practical standpoint, when you get out of here, or even when you are students in high school and college, you need to know how to balance a checkbook," Bolling told the students. "You need to know how to manage credit on a credit card. You need to know how to take out a car loan or a home mortgage, or one of these days to invest in stocks and bonds."
The game ended in a 16-16 tie.
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