U.S. Sen. Tim Scott praises graduates of BB&T financial literacy program
Students at Westwood High School got a shout out Tuesday from U.S. Sen. Tim Scott for taking steps toward financial independence.
Westwood High School students who graduated from the BB&T Financial Foundation Scholars Program (photo provided)
Scott, along with officials from BB&T, teachers, administrators and State Superintendent of Education Mick Zais, honored 200 graduates of the BB&T Financial Foundation Scholars Program, a six-hour curriculum designed to build confidence in financial decision-making.
“What a successful program,” Scott said via a recorded video message. “Students across 115 high schools are learning more about financial literacy because our teachers, EverFi, and BB&T coming together on behalf of students.”
The scholars program offers students courses in a variety of financial literacy concepts including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings and 401(k)s. BB&T partnered with EverFi, a leading educational technology company, to design an interactive web-based financial management program to relate to the high school students.
State Education Superintendent Mick Zais addresses students at Westwood High School. (photo provided)
EverFi used simulations, avatars, gaming and adaptive-pathing to adapt complex financial concepts for the web-savvy students. The online program comprised of ten units. Performance and progress was tracked for each student. Participants who successfully completed the program earned a Certification in Financial Literacy, which can be added to college applications and resumes.
Since the inception of the BB&T Financial Foundation Scholars Program in 2010, 13,000 South Carolina students and more than 100,000 youth nationwide have taken the courses.
“It is vitally important that South Carolina students learn to make sound financial decisions,” Zais said. “More than calculus and statistics, personal finance and business math should be taught in every high school in South Carolina. We are grateful for the partnership with BB&T that has enabled us to bring these important real-world skills to students across the state.”
