Graduating this Spring? Take the Personal Finance Challenge!

This year nearly 3 million American high school students will walk across the stage and receive a diploma. For most, graduation will signal the start of a fresh phase of life, one where they are more self-reliant and possibly live on their own. When parents lack personal finance skills, schools and community organizations have to step in to fill the financial literacy gap. To aid in this effort, Guidewell Financial Solutions partners with like-minded groups on initiatives like the Maryland Personal Finance Challenge, an annual competition MCEE hosts. High school juniors and seniors who participate in the Challenge study six key finance areas: 1) informed and responsible financial decision-making; 2) careers, education, and income; 3) financial planning and money management; 4) credit and debt management; 5) creating and building wealth; and 6) managing risks and preserving wealth. Those who master these concepts go on to compete.