Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System

High school students from Washington, D.C., learned about personal budgeting, responsible borrowing, and financing secondary education at workshops taught by Federal Reserve Board staff members on Wednesday.

The sessions at Francis L. Cardozo Senior High School and Columbia Heights Educational Campus were part of Federal Reserve Financial Education Day. Reserve Banks conducted more than 25 similar events for students and teachers around the country, highlighting the importance of financial education for young people.

"Financial education supports not only individual well-being but also the economic health of our nation," said Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. "Effective financial education is not just about teaching students about financial products or performing financial calculations. It also involves teaching them the essential skills and concepts they will need to make major financial choices."

Federal Reserve Financial Education Day events drew on a series of four classroom lesson plans, "Financial Fundamentals from the Fed," that teach topics including earning income, saving and budgeting, use of credit, and financial institutions and services. The lessons are free, classroom-tested, and ready for use in high schools. For more information about the lesson plans and the Federal Reserve's other financial education resources, visit www.federalreserveeducation.org .

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