One month from today, Washington’s leaders will come together for the 40th running of the ACLI Capital Challenge road race.
For most of the participants, the three-mile event will be over in 40 minutes or less. The quickest, including four-time fastest man in Congress Representative Mike Gallagher from Wisconsin, will finish in fewer than 20.
But the impact of the race will last much longer. Years, in fact. That’s because the race benefits Junior Achievement USA (JA) and its financial education programs for students across our nation.
JA programs reach more than 2.5 million students per year in all 50 states. And the benefits last a lifetime. JA students are more likely to have a college degree and to have started a business as an adult. And JA programs help participants feel more confident about managing money.
JA’s financial education programs are especially important these days. Our economy has been rocked by the pandemic and more recently soaring inflation. By educating students about work readiness, entrepreneurship and financial literacy, JA helps prepare our young people for adulthood.
Our country needs better financial education. Less than half of the states require high school students to learn about personal finance. And a recent report about a survey by the TIAA Institute and the Global Financial Literacy Excellence Center at George Washington University revealed that two-thirds of Generation Z adults couldn’t correctly answer more than half of the financial questions in the survey.
Through our partnership with JA, America’s life insurance industry is empowering students with knowledge and skills that can help them throughout their lives. This is crucial because research shows that improved financial education can help eliminate the racial wealth gap.
All entry fees from the ACLI Capital Challenge benefit JA. The race is open to members of Congress and their staffs, the Administration, the federal judiciary and the local media. Entry forms are available here and the deadline is April 18.
As our celebrity runner and American marathon recordholder Keira D’Amato said, it’s a fun race for a great cause. We hope to see you at Anacostia Park on May 12.
Susan K. Neely was President and CEO of the American Council of Life Insurers (ACLI), the nation’s leading trade association determined to help families live better lives by achieving financial security and certainty. As president and CEO, Neely drove public policy and advocacy on behalf of ACLI’s member companies that represent 93 percent of industry assets and serve 90 million families. She is CEO Emeritus through December, 2024.
