With the support of a Wells Fargo grant, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County launched Financial Awareness Week at four area high schools and conducted two Dollars and Sense workshops at Sarasota Military Academy. April is Financial Literacy Awareness Month, and beginning on Monday, April 18, the Education Foundation launched a week-long awareness campaign that helped students increase their financial literacy. Activities were held at Education Foundation Student Success Centers at North Port High School, Riverview High School, Sarasota High School, and Suncoast Polytechnical High School. Students completed daily trivia questions, quizzes, interactive financial literacy games, and budgeting sheets that tested their ability to earn, spend, save, and budget. College Career Advisors shared strategies for saving for college and planning for life after high school. Throughout the week, 223 students visited Student Success Centers at these four high schools. They gained insight into many elements of financial literacy through fun, interactive activities.

On May 3, at Sarasota Military Academy, the Education Foundation also conducted two Dollars and Sense workshops, attended by a total of 107 students from grades 9 through 12. These workshops are designed to increase financial literacy through interactive lessons and real-world activities that incorporate topics such as personal finance, family expenses, budgeting, loans, debt, credit scores, mortgage, checking and savings accounts, wants vs. needs, financial health, and more. Sarasota Military Academy students explored six components of financial literacy (earning spending, saving, investing, borrowing, and protecting); they learned how to budget, save, and plan. Through group and individual activities and exercises, students built their financial knowledge. An increased understanding of financial literacy is essential in preparing high school students for life after graduation. Thanks to the generous support of Wells Fargo, the Education Foundation of Sarasota County has had this opportunity to raise awareness and knowledge of personal finance and the steps students can take to begin their journey after high school on stronger financial footing.