FTC Staff Teach DC High School Students Financial Basics

Federal Trade Commission staff joined other members of the Greater Washington Jump$tart Coalition today in simultaneously offering nearly 2,000 Washington DC high school students across the city lessons on budgeting, credit, and identity theft.

FTC staff members, including Eileen Harrington, Deputy Director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection, taught students some financial basics. They joined professionals from other member organizations of the Greater Washington Jump$tart Coalition, including the Federal Reserve Board, Securities and Exchange Commission, Department of the Treasury, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Citibank, Smith Barney, American Bar Association, Financial Planning Association, Operation Hope, and AFSA Education Foundation.

Today’s event celebrates April as Financial Literacy Month, and marks the inaugural event for this local chapter of the Jump$tart program. The primary goal is to provide high school juniors and seniors with a financial education course before they leave school.

The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them.