Graduating from high school is an exciting time for students, but it also ushers in new responsibilities. As they begin this next chapter—whether heading to college, trade school, or starting a new job—many of these teenagers will be on their own for the first time. They will have new work-life balances to maneuver, personal and professional relationships to build, bills to pay, and finances to monitor.

And as we all know, managing money can be overwhelming at any age. That is why Orange County United Way’s United for Student Success℠ initiative partnered with The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine (UCI) to offer two financial literacy workshops for students.

Facilitated by UCI business school faculty, the workshops were designed to teach students how to stay ahead of their college, career, and life goals by understanding the importance of financial literacy and wellness.

Topics discussed included:

• How to make a realistic budget
• Managing, saving and investing money
• The financial gain that higher education can offer in the long-run
• Preparing for retirement

Students walked away more knowledgeable about the importance of gaining financial literacy early on as it can positively influence decision-making now as well as later on in life.

I really enjoyed this event, it taught me a lot about what to do with my money. I learned things they don’t teach in my economics class. —Christofer, Savanna High School, Anaheim Union High School District

A total of 73 students attended the financial literacy workshops, which were free and open to all Orange County high schools. In a post-workshop survey, a majority of students found the experience beneficial and reported feeling more knowledgeable about investing, managing personal budgets, retirement plans, and how taxes work.

The presenter did an awesome job teaching us how to budget our income effectively and invest money throughout our lives. —Juan, Anaheim High School, Anaheim Union High School District

At the end of the financial literacy workshops, students were entered into a raffle. Prizes included 10 Nintendo Mystery items, an HP Laptop, and a Nintendo Switch Lite!

The financial literacy workshops were offered through Orange County United Way’s Destination Graduation℠ program, which aims to increase the high school graduation rate by offering Orange County students from high-needs districts academic support, educational workshops, and exciting college and career exploration opportunities. Destination Graduation is part of the United for Student Success℠ initiative, which helps local students graduate on time, prepared for college, career, and beyond.

Thank you to The Paul Merage School of Business at the University of California, Irvine for your invaluable partnership and for supporting Orange County students!

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