18 Years of Teaching Teens Financial Wellness Skills at Money Madness

Students from eight high schools – Academy of the Holy Family, Bacon Academy, Lyman Memorial High School, Norwich Free Academy, Montville High School, RHAM High School, Waterford High School, and Wheeler High School – convened in the Crozier Williams Student Center at Connecticut College on Tuesday, March 12, 2024 for the 18th Annual Money Madness seminar presented by Chelsea Groton Bank.

The half-day seminar opened with keynote speaker, Rachel Lenda, Director of Tourism for the State of CT. Prior to her current role, Rachel held leadership roles at Hard Rock Café International and the Eastern Regional Tourism District, in addition to being a classically trained vocalist who regularly performs on stages throughout the state. Rachel shared stories from her personal and professional journey, and how professional success is dependent upon personal success. She emphasized to the students her mantra of “Life is hard, but I can do hard things.” And, she discussed the importance of treating others how you want to be treated, never being afraid to ask for help, and recognizing that each challenge you face shapes you into the person you become.

The day also included several sessions presented by representatives from Bank On, Better Business Bureau CT, CT Department of Banking, CHESLA, Jane Ryan Insurance, ReMax, UConn Extension, United Way, and Chelsea Groton Bank. Topics included: financial education, social media scams, cybercrime and identity theft, an introduction to investing, budgeting, education financing, insurance basics, and leadership and team building.

The seminar closed with a Family Feud-style game where students teamed up with their classmates to compete against other schools. Questions pertaining to the day’s panel discussion and break-out activities were asked to test what the students learned.

“We’re so proud to offer this program to area teens each year, as they are the future of our region. It’s a great opportunity for our presenters to share inspiring stories and guidance to the students before they graduate from high school and begin to make important monetary decisions that could impact their futures,” explained Miria Gray, AVP, Community Education Officer at Chelsea Groton Bank. “In addition to the annual Money Madness event, Chelsea Groton Bank also delivers financial wellness programs at local schools on a regular basis, and offers complimentary access to our Chelsea University online learning channel, to all members of our community.”

To learn more about Chelsea Groton Bank’s Chelsea University or to schedule a workshop, please visit www.chelseagroton.com/ChelseaUniversity.