Credo High School First Public School to Join GoLocal

Credo High School, a new public charter school of the Cotati Rohnert Park Unified School District, has become the first public school in the county to become a member of Sonoma County GoLocal Cooperative.

Credo High is a Waldorf-inspired charter school with rigorous college prep curriculum that is experiential and rich in the arts and music. Students also learn practical skills, such as farming and food literacy, furniture making, media arts, CPR, First Aid, and financial literacy. GoLocal is a network of locally-owned businesses, residents, non-profit organizations, and government agencies working together to build a resilient, thriving, local economy by supporting local, independently owned businesses and encouraging sustainable practices.

At the weekly Credo student assembly on September 2, 2011, GoLocal representative Janeen Murray, a former high school teacher herself, presented the tenets and benefits of GoLocal in a manner easily understood by ninth graders. “Think about he last three places you paid money for food of some sort,” Murray challenged the students. “Now, which of these were locally owned?” Students quickly began to understand that they had the choice to keep their money circulating in the local economy—benefitting local businesses and municipalities—or send it off to Texas or North Dakota.  Nearly all the students accepted the offer of a GoLocal rewards card, which allows them to receive immediate discounts and log rewards points that can be used throughout the community of GoLocal businesses.

“An understanding of economics and financial literacy is critical for students to become empowered participants in our political economy,” said Credo Director Chip Romer. “Including these subjects in our curriculum and educating students about the value of strengthening the local economy will help to develop them into more conscious citizens better prepared to attend to their self-interest. GoLocal builds community by encouraging Sonoma County residents to support one another financially. I’m pleased that Credo students can be on the cutting edge of this movement.”

When Murray asked students if any of their parents owned their own local businesses, several affirmed that this was the case and quickly realized that they preferred to use their purchasing power in support of their classmates’ families. “This is exactly what GoLocal is doing countywide—creating a sense of all of Sonoma County as one family supporting its mutiple members,” Murray explained. Enthusiastic Credo students seemed to agree.

Contact: Chip Romer, Director

Credo High School

707-664-0600