Local nonprofit host expo to teach youth about finances

ORLANDO, Fla. — Local nonprofit 8 Cents in a Jar hosted their annual Teach Students Money Expo Saturday, guiding students toward financial fitness.

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8 Cents in a Jar, a woman-led local nonprofit dedicated to promoting economic mobility through financial education for youth in marginalized communities.

The Teach Students Money Expo allows students to put into practice the skills they are required to learn under House Bill 641, a Florida law mandating high school students to complete a financial literacy course to graduate.

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Students visited 20 storefronts, such as Chase Bank, the Kia Center for the Orlando Magic, and the Federal Reserve Bank, representing typical expenses like housing, groceries, transportation, and child care, to learn about budgeting and the actual costs of daily living.

“It’s important to teach and provide a place where students can apply what they learn. We want them to have a safe environment.” - Lashea Reaves, 8 Cents in a Jar Founder

Parents of the students were also educated about breaking the debt cycle and dispelled financial misinformation.

“The insurance booth surprised me the most! They take so much of your money and I learned that you have to really manage the money you have!” - Kori Collier, student

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