Empowering the next generation to care about their financial futures

One of the things that credit unions do best is proving financial education to their members and community through initiatives and programs. It’s in the DNA of credit unions – literally, in the Operating Principles – and what help to differentiate them from other financial institutions.

While we in the industry know how important it is for kids to receive lessons in personal finance, many aren’t receiving the knowledge and tools they need to become successful adults. The teaching of money basics in schools isn’t currently a nationwide effort, something a growing number of recent graduates wishes would have been the case.

Only 16.4 percent of U.S. high school students are required to take a personal finance course, leaving a huge gap in the number of high schoolers in America who are not receiving the valuable, real-life financial education that they need after graduation.

Enter Biz Kid$. Biz Kid$ is a national financial education initiative that engages young people to help them develop life skills in the areas of financial education and entrepreneurship. The initiative includes an Emmy award-winning television series, free classroom curriculum, outreach activities, and a website targeting kids 9 – 16 years old. It is the first national public television series promoting financial education for elementary through high school students and was created by the same team that produced “Bill Nye the Science Guy”.

 

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