The PREP/Got Money! Teen Conference programming fuses health and wealth education for middle school and high school students.  Since 2011, Asset Builders has taught thousands of students from Milwaukee, Racine, Janesville, Beloit, and Hayward how to improve their financial literacy through this initiative.  We also conduct train-the-trainer workshops for staff of community partner agencies.

Research establishes the link between one’s health and wealth status, with causation and correlation going both directions between the two factors.  Wealthier people are generally healthier than less wealthy people.  Conversely, healthier people have the ability to earn more wealth because of their better health.  The Adolescent Pregnancy Prevention Program’s “Exchange” posting (October 16, 2020), which says “Education on APS topics are much more than “add-ons” to PREP programming, but instead, lay the foundation for teaching adolescents important life skills that help prevent or reduce the risk of unintended teen pregnancy.  This Ted Talk…includes narratives that communicate why incorporating financial literacy is such an impactful component of PREP projects.”  Please see https://teenpregnancy.acf.hhs.gov/resources/aps-resource-guide-financial-literacy.

PREP’s financial literacy component has long been recognized as being innovative and effective.   See the Press Release from 2014, and photo of Marc Perry (Rock County Community Action) and Richard Entenmann (Asset Builders) accepting a Governor’s Financial Literacy Award.  Please take a look the 2016 PREP Report summarizing our experience with the PREP program.

Please take a look at the videos below to get started!