For the past nine years, Mr. Perfili has built a learning environment where financial literacy is not just a graduation requirement but a life-changing experience. His students consistently rise to the challenge. This year, they earned some of the highest test scores he has ever seen, with class averages reaching 85 percent on the state financial literacy assessments. Many students have taken what they learned and applied it directly to their lives, creating savings plans, strengthening their credit, and setting meaningful career goals through the SMARTER framework taught in class.
Innovation is at the heart of Mr. Perfili’s teaching. Using Knowledge Matters’ Virtual Business simulations, he guides students through experiences that mirror adult financial decision making. They buy homes, manage credit, create budgets, and explore the consequences of their choices. His goal is simple. When real life begins, he wants their first financial decisions to feel familiar rather than overwhelming. Alongside these simulations, he created a signature activity called Skills and Wills, a reflective process that helps students identify their strengths, passions, and future paths. It has quickly become a favorite and a powerful tool for personal clarity.
Mr. Perfili’s influence reaches far beyond the walls of Mountain Ridge. He was recently selected as the Subject Matter Expert for eDynamics to help redesign national Virtual Business simulations used by more than 100,000 students each year. He is the first member of Utah’s Personal Finance Hall of Fame for Innovative Curriculum Development. He is also an author whose first book, Blind Spot Living Your Best Life, has already begun inspiring readers. Book two will be released in April 2026, followed by book three in December of the same year.
His expertise has made him a sought after speaker across the country. He has been invited to deliver keynote addresses for multiple state Jump Start Coalitions and will speak at the 21st Annual Conference on Financial Education in April 2026.
At the center of all his work is a clear philosophy. Mr. Perfili believes that financial literacy is the most transformational subject a student will ever take. He teaches with the purpose of empowering students to design their future with intention and confidence. When he joined Mountain Ridge, he advocated for the creation of the state’s new Investing and Wealth Management course. He calls it the voluntary extension class to Financial Literacy because it gives students a deeper look into the opportunities available to them as they build their financial lives.
Mr. Perfili often summarizes his Why in one sentence. To empower others with knowledge and truth so that they are inspired to change their world.
His story reminds us that a classroom grounded in passion can shape futures, open doors, and spark lifelong growth. Please join us in celebrating Mr. Justin Perfili and the remarkable impact he continues to make on our students, our school, and the broader world of financial education.