After high school, Daniela and Oscar Saenz found themselves navigating the ins and outs of personal finance: checking accounts, student financial aid, auto loans, and credit cards.

They had learned some financial literacy fundamentals in school. But like a lot of young people, they graduated with unanswered questions: How many credit cards is too many? What is an annual percentage rate? How do you build credit? What's a 401(k)?

Some of what they learned came through research. Some came from family or community resources. And some came through trial and error.

Daniela, who studied finance in college, eventually felt more informed and confident about personal finance, but she knew there was more to learn. For Oscar, college opened doors to explore career paths and professional development, but personal finance education lacked depth—and he still had questions.

Their story is familiar at Ednium.

For years, alumni have told us that school did not fully prepare them to make informed decisions about credit, retirement, investing, savings, or long-term financial planning.

In Ednium’s newest research, a majority of young alumni report experiencing stress because of their finances, and say they are managing too much debt.

That’s why Ednium and our alumni have been strong, consistent advocates for financial literacy graduation requirements in Colorado public schools. It’s also why we partnered with U.S. Bank to create the Building Generational Wealth pilot program.

Beyond the Basics

Over four sessions, the pilot program gave young alumni space to learn more about wealth, financial planning, investing, and legacy planning.

Participants were encouraged to define wealth for themselves and think about the futures they want to create. They finished the program with practical resources, clearer next steps, and a stipend to support their financial well-being.

Daniela and Oscar, now newly married, joined the pilot together. They wanted to deepen their understanding of personal finance and challenge some of their own assumptions. The sessions helped them debunk myths, make more informed decisions, and better understand estate planning. It was empowering, and after most sessions, Oscar would joke, “I wish I would have known that five years ago.”

That doesn’t surprise Gloria Torres, a senior wealth management banker at U.S. Bank and one of the program’s facilitators.

Gloria has felt that way herself. When she inherited money in her 30s, she bought cars for her mom, her brother, and herself. Looking back, she wishes someone had helped her understand how to invest that money for the future.

That’s one reason Gloria gives back. She wants young people to understand their options, make informed choices, and recognize opportunities that will benefit them long-term.

Before the pilot ended, Gloria asked participants to commit to one action in the near-term that could support their future. Later, one participant shared that she had printed out her employment benefits and reviewed them to make sure she was maximizing what her employer offered.

Those small steps may seem simple, but Gloria believes they matter.

Financial Literacy Builds Agency

At Ednium, we see financial literacy as more than a curriculum or a graduation requirement. We see it as essential to agency.

When young alumni have a strong financial literacy education, they are better positioned to make informed decisions and plan for their futures. It also helps them believe in a brighter future.

Gloria remembers a workshop in her 30s where participants were asked to write an answer to the question: If money were not a barrier, what would you do?

She wrote that she would pay off her mortgage, buy a house for her mom, and get an education. The man next to her wrote that he would buy an island, a mountain house, and a private plane.

His answer shocked her. Those things—outrageous as they seemed—didn’t occur to her.

“It made me realize that I didn’t think I was capable of having those things,” Gloria says. “Sometimes, people are told to be grateful for the blessings they have—but not to dream bigger.”

That’s something she wanted participants in the Building Generational Wealth pilot to know.

At the end of the program, Gloria gave books about money and finance to the participants. In each one, she wrote a message: “Dream big.”

That message matters because financial literacy does more than check a box—it helps young alumni believe in what’s possible.

What Comes Next

Over the last six years, Ednium—guided by the voices and lived experiences of young alumni—has been one of the strongest advocates for financial literacy as a graduation requirement in Denver Public Schools and across Colorado.

Our progress matters, but the requirement alone isn’t enough. The implementation of financial literacy education must be meaningful, relevant, and effective for students.

Research tells us there’s still a gap, particularly when it comes to long-term financial planning and wealth building.

That’s why our work continues.

We’ll keep partnering with U.S. Bank to build and expand this pilot, and we’ll continue working alongside Denver Public Schools and the Colorado Department of Education to support thoughtful implementation of financial literacy.

Most importantly, we’ll keep listening to alumni, because financial stability is a key part of their agency. Our Building Generational Wealth pilot made something clear: when young alumni have practical resources, trusted guidance, and opportunities to put learning into practice, they’re in a stronger position to create the future they want.