Youth Gain Real Board Experience

DENVER - Aug. 1, 2017 - PRLog -- Young Americans Center for Financial Education, a Denver-based non-profit that develops the financial literacy of youth, announced the names of 20 young adults who will serve on its Youth Advisory Board this school year. Board Members have the opportunity to learn "hands-on" about banking, business and the role of nonprofits in a community while providing valuable advice and insight to Young Americans Bank, the world's only bank for young people, and its accompanying youth financial education programs.

The teens weigh in on strategies and marketing.  Plus, they receive training and experience in how to serve on a board, on media relations and on philanthropy.  One of the highlights of their board service is choosing the real charities for the Donation Station at the Center's flagship Young AmeriTowne program, where 26,000 5^th graders run their own town for a day each year.  Board members research Colorado non-profits and pick the six that they feel provide the most meaningful impact on the community.

"Young Americans has benefitted from a youth perspective provided by Youth Advisory Board since our founding in 1987," says Richard E. Martinez, Jr., President and CEO of Young Americans.  "It is important that our management team and adult Board of Directors hear from young people, since this is the main audience of our organization."

Selected through a competitive application and interview process, the 2017/2018 Youth Advisory Board members are:

Andrew Hageman, Co-Chair, 11^th Grade, George Washington High School

Jazmin Peña, Co-Chair, 12^th Grade, Rangeview High School

Jack Allshouse, 9^th Grade, South High School

Grant Amann, 12^th Grade, Regis Jesuit High School

Griffin Borg, 10^th Grade, DSST/Byers High School

Aiden Cermak, 9^th Grade, Highlands Ranch High School

Hunter Gehl, 11^th Grade, East High School

Fiona Goe, 10^th Grade, East High School

Abby Harder, 12^th Grade, East High School

Marie McHugh, 11^th Grade, Colorado Academy

Lauren Murray, 12^th Grade, Kent Denver School

Katelyn Osborne, 9^th Grade, DSST/Byers High School

Elzia Sekou, 12^th Grade, Lakewood High School

Jaylah Monique Short, 9^th Grade, Overland High School

Neal Sklar, 12^th Grade, Cherry Creek High School

Andrew Tokar, 11^th Grade, Cherry Creek High School

Kelly Trang, 12^th Grade, George Washington High School

Johnny Vezzani, 10^th Grade, DSST/Byers High School

Dana Weiss, 10^th Grade, Rock Canyon High School

Quentin Wolfe, 10^th Grade, East High School

Young Americans Center for Financial Education is a nonprofit organization committed to developing the financial literacy of young people, up to age 22, through real life experiences and hands-on programs.

The Center fulfills its mission by offering programs that complement and reinforce each other to build life skills, work skills and financial self-sufficiency. These include Young AmeriTowne, International Towne, YouthBiz, free Money Matters classes, summer camps and more. In addition, Young Americans Center houses the only real bank in the world for young people, Young Americans Bank, which shares the same educational mission of teaching children to be financially responsible. Since 1987, more than 700,000 youth have participated in the programs or bank. For more information on the Young Americans Center for Financial Education, visit www.yacenter.org.