Junior Achievement of the Upper Midwest


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Note from JAUM President

HOPE That We Can Build Financial Literacy

In September of 2008, the financial illiteracy of our nation dramatically revealed itself - and the unraveling continues today. The propensity of many to spend beyond their means and make unwise financial decisions demonstrates that many of us don't know the basics of budgeting or handling debt.

But before we bemoan where we are and how we got there, there is hope. It is a word that has been used quite a bit lately, but it's applicable here.

History. This is a moment in history like no other and the hard financial lessons of how we arrived here and why cannot be ignored. In a 2008 Jump$tart Coalition® survey, U.S. high school seniors only answered 48.3 percent of financial literacy questions correctly, demonstrating that future generations will continue the cycle of making poor financial choices unless more is done to protect their financial well-being by arming them with the know-how to make good decisions.

Opportunity. Through these tough financial times, we have an opportunity to teach people how to make better choices and save for their future and educate themselves and others about important financial matters.

Participate. We are all being called upon to do our part in terms of volunteering and serving others. Your knowledge is needed now more than ever and we feel certain that the experience will be profoundly gratifying.

Educate. We cannot ignore the lessons from this current crisis and we cannot sink our heads in the sand hoping the financial problems will magically go away. We need to educate the next generation about budgeting, banking and the tenets of a thriving economy.

At Junior Achievement, we are committed to providing our programs to as many schools as possible. We encourage you to volunteer your time with us and help us chart a better financial course for the future of our nation.

Gina Blayney

President, JAUM