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News & Recaps

The Post

Session recaps, financial literacy resources, data, and dispatches from inside the program — posted after every class.

Session 1 Recap Session Recap
February 17, 2026 6 min read

Session 1 Recap: We're Just Getting Started — And So Is This Generation

The first session of AZ FTRS Spring 2026 was everything we hoped for, and then some. Session 1 was about building the foundation. We covered the core vocabulary of personal finance, walked through a personal money audit, and established the principle that drives everything in this program, managing your money and building your career are the same conversation, not two separate ones.We connected students' career interests to real salary trajectories using career-income mapping, looking at what financial growth actually looks like at every stage of a profession. Because knowing where you want to go changes how you handle money today. That's the shift Session 1 was designed to create and it did. We introduced the framework of financial literacy: the vocabulary, the why, and the personal "money audit" exercise that helped students assess where they currently stand. Some had never balanced a checkbook. Others didn't know that a credit score was a thing they'd need before renting their first apartment. All of that is okay, because now they know.

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Session 2 Session Recap
February 24, 2025 5 min read

Session 2: Stocks, Strategy, and the Mindset That Makes the Difference

Session 2 was about the market and the mindset it takes to navigate it. Students learned the fundamentals of stocks, futures, and forex, then launched their own live simulated portfolios with real market data. We covered stock analysis, market research, candlestick charts, and how to build a balanced portfolio, and students received their AZ FTRS guidebooks to support their learning beyond the room. The biggest lesson wasn't technical though. It was emotional. We broke down how unchecked emotions like greed and fear drive poor investment decisions, and why maintaining a calm and disciplined approach is what separates smart investors from reactive ones. Every student now has a portfolio to manage and a check-in due before every session. The work has started. Read More →

Financial Literacy Gap Literacy Issue
February 22, 2025 8 min read

The Financial Literacy Gap Is a Racial Wealth Gap in Disguise

New data from the Federal Reserve reveals that Black and Hispanic households hold a fraction of the median wealth of white households. The gap isn't accidental — it's structural. Here's what the data says and what we're doing about it.

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57%
of first-gen students can't pass a basic financial literacy quiz
Data & Stats
February 19, 2025 4 min read

By the Numbers: What Financial Illiteracy Actually Costs a Generation

We crunched the data from three national studies on financial literacy among first-generation college students. The findings are stark — and they make the case for programs like AZ FTRS more clearly than any speech could.

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Session 3 Session Recap
March 4, 2025 5 min read

Session 3: Understanding Credit in Communities That Were Denied It

The credit system has a long and complicated history with communities of color. In session three, we didn't shy away from that — and students left with a deeper understanding of the system they're navigating and how to navigate it on their own terms.

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Predatory Lending Literacy Issue
March 1, 2025 7 min read

Predatory Lending Targets First-Gen Students — Here's How It Works

Payday loans, buy-now-pay-later traps, private student loan fine print. The financial services industry profits from confusion. This post breaks down the most common predatory practices and how to spot them from a mile away.

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Session 4 Session Recap
March 11, 2025 6 min read

Session 4: The Real Cost of Student Debt — The Numbers Don't Lie

When students ran the actual numbers on a $30,000 student loan at 6.5% interest, the room went quiet. In session four, we tackled debt head-on with real data, real scenarios, and real strategies for students who are already carrying debt or about to take it on.

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