The sound of sneakers pounding the track fills the air as the cross-country team pushes through another lap. On the sidelines, their coach, Micheal Mauro, watches closely, stopwatch in hand, cheering them on. For students who only know him from personal finance, seeing him here might be a surprise. But, for Mauro, teaching and coaching are connected, as both are about helping students work hard, stay focused and reach their goals.
Mauro is in his eighth year of teaching, and he brings real-life experience to the classroom. With a business degree and more than 15 years in the mortgage industry, he not only knows a lot about money but also about how to make it meaningful for students. He teaches students how to save and budget their income and set aside money for retirement, even giving tips and tricks regarding real-life insurance matters.
Mauro also relates to his students by telling them about the credit mistakes and financial hiccups he made at a young age, giving his lessons a sense of meaning. His classes and stories have helped current and graduated high school students develop a more mature mindset about money, preparing them for making important financial decisions later in life.
“I really enjoy connecting with my students, making sure they understand why I’m teaching them what I’m teaching them,” Mauro said. “I don’t want them to mortgage their future for what they want now.”
One of Mauro’s favorite lessons is about the true cost of college. He wants students to understand how borrowing money can affect their future.
“Borrowing money to go to college, if it’s necessary, is a good tool,” Mauro said. “But don’t borrow more than you need because it can make it harder to get the things you want later in life.”
Outside the classroom, Mauro is just as busy. He is the head coach of both the boys’ and girls’ cross-country and track teams. To him, sports are more than just running — they teach discipline and teamwork.
“Cross-country was the first sport I got into when I was younger,” Mauro said. “It helped me stay active and build discipline that I still use today.”
Mauro also practices jiu-jitsu, a martial art, which he started 16 years ago. At first, a smaller opponent beat him for 90 minutes straight.
“I told myself, ‘I need to do this’,” Mauro said. “And I still love it. I try to go every day if I can.”
People who know Mauro say his balance of seriousness and fun makes him a great teacher and coach.
“We go back and forth over football, just like normal friends,” U.S. History teacher Michael Marino said. “But from day one, I’ve always respected him because he works hard and knows how to have fun while still taking his job seriously.”
Whether in the classroom, on the track or on the mat, Mauro leads by example. He teaches students how to manage money, push through challenges and stay true to themselves. He is helping shape their futures in more ways than one.
