Growing up and seeing bankruptcy in my family really gave me a perspective on the importance of financial literacy. I was desperate to make sure that financial education would be something that went from disempowering to empowering, and I know that there are millions of other young people across the country that are impacted by this issue.
The Youth Entrepreneurship Association is bridging the gap between high schoolers and financial education. We have dozens of chapters across the nation where high schoolers are teaching financial concepts to their peers. What we really try to emphasize is real-world experience, especially as you turn 18 and you start getting into student loan debt, credit cards, budgeting, taxes, all these nuanced topics that you really have no experience with.
But I think the most important impact is that our students actually create their own businesses. When students get their first customer or sell their first product, it really gives them a new sense of agency and ownership. They’re proud of what they’ve built and they’re more inclined to continue learning and continue growing to lead successful careers and successful lives.