The not-so-secret secret in America is that we are all in debt. From the white pillars of D.C. to cul-de-sac communities, studies show that the average American is swimming in thousands of dollars of debt. Despite the economic turbulence, high school students often overlook their financial responsibility. We should replace this attitude with one of saving, investing, and giving in order to prepare ourselves for more financial responsibilities and to lead, love, and give, as an example of Christ.

The outlook for high schoolers is bleaker when college debt is factored in. The majority of us will have at least $20,000 of debt by the time we graduate college. Forty-two percent of us won’t know when we can expect to be free of this debt, and 20 percent of us expect to die without having the debt paid off.

As if adding insult to injury, credit card debt in the United States hit an all-time high in 2018 at $870 billion. It is also the fastest rising source of ...