On the Road to Financial Success / By Jamal Ray & Janel Ray
LRNG Badging Panel at Gary Comer During the month of March, I had the opportunity to speak to the students of Gary Comer about the benefits of completing LRNG Badge assessments, specifically the badge on XP “Be Payday Ready”. I spoke about the multiple things I learned from the XP such as the importance of banking, timesheets, taxes, direct deposit, and more. In addition, there were others who presented at the panel, emphasising the importance of learning financial literacy. The LRNG panel was very insightful and committed to reaching out to the youth. They even had exclusive sign ups for job opportunities from One Summer Chicago, for those who attended the event. Overall, it was a great experience. - JAMAL RAY The Teen Opportunity Fair The Teen Opportunity Fair at Kennedy King focused on healthy banking habits, job opportunities and resume building. This event gave students an opportunity to network with different vendors while being exposed to new career and educational opportunities. During this event, On the Money (OTM) provided a classroom workshop teaching people about resume building and job readiness preparations. While I was at this event, I was able to meet intelligent and determined young adults and help them create a strong resume. Many of the students who attended this event came to receive feedback on a resume they already had or to explore potential careers they might be interested in. I hope in the future more students and families will come out and find this event beneficial on their journey of exploring their passions. This event made me feel empowered as I was helping others learn more about themselves, and this experience gave me a sense of satisfaction as I successfully shared vital information with peers in my community. - JANEL RAY