From Classroom to Business: How Two Brothers Turned Lessons into Success

Two brothers, Derek and Dominik Zirkle, initially found their high school financial literacy class dull. The course, taught by Theory Federal Credit Union, covered basic financial skills like managing accounts and understanding interest. At first, the twins weren't impressed. Their teacher had to address their attitude, but then something changed. Years later, the 24-year-old brothers applied what they learned to start D & D Meadery, their honey wine business. They opened it in 2024 and used Theory Federal Credit Union for support. Dominik said the class gave them a starting point, like a map for their journey. The state of Ohio now allows high schools with credit union or bank branches to give students credit toward their financial literacy graduation requirement. This change is part of the state budget legislation. The requirement for a semester-long financial literacy class has been in place since 2022 for students entering ninth grade. Cardinal Credit Union has been running student branches in high schools for over a decade. These branches offer banking services during lunch periods, with students volunteering as tellers. Some students even get summer internships. Christine Blake, Cardinal's president and CEO, said these internships can lead to careers in various fields, not just banking. Both Cardinal and Theory Federal Credit Union offer financial literacy curricula in high schools. Students learn about banking, managing accounts, avoiding fraud, and using interest to build savings. They even get small amounts of money to practice with. Michael DeSantis, Cardinal's educational finance coordinator, said making mistakes is part of the learning process. Not all students start with the same knowledge. Some, like Connor Duricky, had a head start because of his parents. He now manages a Cardinal branch and is a loan officer. Others, like the Zirkle twins, were skeptical at first but later became interested. Their business, D & D Meadery, now distributes honey wine to over 300 retail locations. The Zirkles started their business with their savings and lived frugally, reinvesting profits. They sought help from a Theory certified financial counselor who had visited their class. Their journey from high school to business owners shows how financial literacy can lead to success.