ATLANTA — Teens from across the U.S. gathered in Atlanta for the 14th Annual National Personal Finance Challenge, showcasing their financial literacy skills.
The competition, organized by the Council for Economic Education, brought together high school teams from 28 states to test their knowledge in areas such as savings, investing, and retirement planning.
“It’s never too early to start planning for your future,” said Channel 2 Consumer Advisor Clark Howard, emphasizing the importance of early financial education.
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The National Personal Finance Challenge required participants to answer complex questions. The event aims to promote financial literacy among young people.
Madeira High School from Cincinnati, Ohio, placed third overall in the event. Each member of the team took home $500.
Will Manning, a student from Madeira, expressed pride in their team’s performance at the state level, beating nine other teams to make it to the championship.
“I think starting small is a great way for you to get comfortable in that field of finance, but also it gets you experienced in understanding where your money goes,” said Vrishab Nooka, a student from Ardrey Kell High School in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Jahnavi Kari, also from Ardrey Kell, highlighted the personal growth gained from the competition.
“It’s also honestly helped me be more confident in myself, get more public speaking abilities, learn about really cool careers and see what exactly I want to do in the future,” Kari said.
Chris Caltabiano, interim CEO of the Council for Economic Education, encouraged openness about financial mistakes.
“Don’t be embarrassed about your mistakes,” he said. “Your mistakes can be really good learning moments for young people.”
The event underscored the importance of financial education for young people, with participants advocating for early investment and savings.
As Nooka put it, “Money’s almost like a taboo to talk about. It’s something that we don’t really talk about much and it’s something we need to change.”
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