FSI & Key Members of Congress Partner to Promote Financial Literacy Among Students

The Financial Services Institute (FSI) in Washington, D.C. organized two financial literacy events this week with FSI members and U.S. Members of Congress at Cardinal Ritter College Preparatory High School in St. Louis, MO, and the Columbus City Preparatory Schools for Girls in Columbus, Ohio. These are the latest in a string of events FSI has organized this year in conjunction with members of Congress.

These events leveraged members’ expertise to build lasting relationships with legislators while simultaneously promoting financial literacy – an issue FSI has been increasingly focused on this year with more planned for the future.

“We are very pleased to organize these events with Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO) and Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH),” said FSI President & CEO Dale E. Brown. “FSI has made financial literacy education a priority in 2014 and beyond and has worked to set up financial literacy events around the country in concert with interested legislators. We thank Rep. Clay and Rep. Beatty for their support on this very important issue.”

“I was pleased to join the Financial Services Institute at Cardinal Ritter College Prep in St. Louis as we provided students with the basics of financial literacy,” said Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO). “Learning smart money management at an early age is crucial to building financial security as an adult.”

The first event this week was held with Rep. Lacy Clay (D-MO) on Tuesday. FSI financial advisor member Joseph Arndt of Arndt & Associates Financial Services taught the class to students in a consumer economics course.

The second event was held with Rep. Joyce Beatty (D-OH) on Thursday at the Columbus City Preparatory Schools for Girls with FSI financial advisor member Carina Diamond of SS&G Wealth Management, LLC teaching the class.

“Developing financial literacy skills at an early age is critical to preparing young people for the financial decisions in the years ahead,” said Congresswoman Beatty. “Report after report from various stakeholders reveals that students are graduating high school lacking critical financial knowledge, and students matriculating at colleges and universities are unprepared to handle their finances. This must change and it should begin at an early age.”

Both financial literacy events were well received by the host institutions, attending students and representatives. The members of Congress specifically expressed their gratitude to FSI for organizing the events.

So far in 2014, FSI has hosted eight financial literacy events across the country with various elected officials. FSI will continue to make these events and new activities a priority in 2015.

“FSI works hard every day to educate elected officials and hard-working Americans on how the industry works with clients to secure their financial futures,” said Brown. “We plan to continue working closely with these elected officials, and others, as we advocate for Main Street Americans’ access to affordable, objective financial advice, while also educating students and other key groups.”

Click here to see pictures of the events.