ROCKLEDGE, Fla.–Looking to address what it called a “serious youth financial literacy crisis,” Community Credit Union Florida hosted its “321 Financial Liftoff!” educational series at Rockledge High School with 400 high school juniors.
The program provides the tools necessary to pave a path towards a successful financial future as younger customers begin their independent financial journey, the credit union said, and featured an interactive panel discussion with CCU Florida financial experts, as well as young athletes and influencers connected to the Space Coast community.
Sharing personal anecdotes about their success in Brevard County, NFL Player JT Hassell most recently of the New York Jets, Alyssa Carson, an accomplished pilot and astrobiology student with aspirations to be the first woman on Mars, and Emily Zeck, an established influencer and swimwear entrepreneur, shared financial best practices and how their partnership with CCU Florida supported their business, philanthropic and personal endeavors.
“Becoming financially literate at a young age is critical and we want to ensure that the next generation of the Space Coast is able to achieve those major milestones such as getting their first debit card, buying a car or their first home,” said Laurie Cappelli, president of CCU Florida. “Recent studies have shown that there is a gap in financial education and we are committed to changing that by providing students with tips, resources and easy to understand ways to kickstart their financial journey."
The credit union noted that according to a recent Forbes study, 79% of teenagers don’t have savings accounts and 87% say they don’t know how to manage their money.
CCU Florida said its “321 Financial Liftoff” is designed to be an accessible, convenient support system from high school onward and seeks to instill the importance of financial literacy at an early age.
As CUToday.info reported, earlier Fla. HB 115 was unanimously approved by the Florida House PreK-12 Appropriations Subcommittee, requiring high school students to earn a half credit in personal financial literacy and money management in order to graduate.
The event was the first of four in the series blending music, videos, and lessons for financial literacy, with the second event at Titusville High School on April 1 in conjunction with Junior Achievement.
The he third event will be held at Florida Institute of Technology on August 28 and the fourth at Eastern Florida State College in October