Last week, Capital One’s Plano office invited students from Plano ISD, Dallas ISD and surrounding districts to participate in a tailored financial literacy course from Khan Academy for National Savings Day on Oct. 12.
Last Wednesday, 150 students gathered at the new Capital One Cafe at Stonebriar Centre in Frisco to learn more about saving and financing for higher education.
According to Capital One, only 23% of high school students in the U.S. have guaranteed access to financial literacy courses, though people who participated in financial education programs increased their savings rates by an average of 22%.
“Financial literacy is an essential life skill, and that’s why we partnered with Khan Academy to help more people have access to a high-quality financial education,” said Monica Shortino, director of social innovations in financial services at Capital One. “In advance of National Savings Day, our goal for the College Access event at the Capital One Cafe at Stonebriar Centre was to demystify personal finance for students and provide them with the tools and resources they need to feel confident in making decisions for the future.”
During the course, representatives were available from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) providing information on FAFSA and from area colleges and universities like Paul Quinn College, the University of Texas at Arlington, the University of Texas at Dallas, the University of North Texas at Frisco and Collin College.
“I learned applying for the FAFSA is important when it opens. I learned that colleges have money sitting on the table for people like me and a lot of times [people] don’t take advantage of it,” said Isaac Glenn, a junior at Dallas ISD’s David W. Carter High School. “I would recommend this program to other students. I’m going to go back to school and at home, telling everyone about the event and what I learned.”
