Bessent hosts financial literacy fair, touts education as key to American dream

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent closed out Financial Literacy Month at the U.S. Department of the Treasury by hosting a literacy fair, welcoming over 50 students from the greater D.C. area on Thursday.

Bessent framed the event as a reminder of the bedrock of U.S. success.

“We live in the greatest country in the history of the world and on the eve of our 250th anniversary, understanding what has driven our success is the key to our future and what will lead the nation successfully for the next 250 years,” Bessent said in a statement about the event.

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Thursday’s programming included items like a game of “financial soccer,” a kind of fast-paced quiz on financial literacy, interactive booths, free resources and a tour of the Treasury Vault. The Treasury partnered with 18 organizations to conduct the event, including financial groups like Visa, Robinhood and Lincoln Financial.

The financial literacy fair is part of a larger initiative from the Treasury that began at the outset of April — one that Bessent said is closely tied to his understanding of how Americans can participate in the American dream.

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“In my own life experiences, as an economic historian, and now as the 79th Treasury Secretary, it is my firm belief that financial literacy is what fuels the American Dream. Understanding how to make informed financial decisions unlocks opportunity for every American and their families,” Bessent said in a press release earlier this month.

This year, as part of the initiative, the department held events such as a roundtable with community bankers and a forum with the Association of Mature American Citizens.

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U.S. financial literacy reporting by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that less than 30% of young people are financially literate and that as many as 74% of students say they need financial education.

April was first recognized as Financial Literacy Month by the U.S. Senate in 2004.