Foundation Teaching Healthy Skepticism Wins National Award

The FoolProof Foundation—created twenty years ago by legendary news anchor Walker Cronkite and a group of young people—today received the Jumpstart Coalition's 2024 Innovation Award for its unique approach in teaching financial literacy and life skills.

The Foundation's school curriculums are the only major financial literacy curriculums in the United States based on the importance of healthy skepticism and caution when making decisions impacting a consumer's money or well-being.

The Jump$tart Coalition is composed of 100 national organizations and a network of 51 independent, affiliated state coalitions. The Innovation Award was presented Thursday at Jump$tarts' annual awards coinciding with Financial Literacy Month.

Dr. Lennette Coleman, President of FoolProof, accepted the award on the organization's behalf. "On behalf of the entire FoolProof team, we are honored and we are very, very proud", Dr. Coleman said in accepting the award.

"FoolProof has been a leading advocate for teaching healthy skepticism and critical thinking to all levels since our beginning. We believe financial empowerment starts with self-assessment and vetting the decisions you make to ensure they are in your best interest," said Dr. Coleman.

Michelle Singletary, Washington Post "Color of Money" syndicated columnist was a member of the Jump$tart Awards committee.

"FoolProof is a trailblazer in teaching children and young adults how to protect their financial lives," Singletary announced. "The organization is so deserving of Jumpstart Coalition's 2024 Innovation Award."

"There isn't enough caution in many financial literacy materials," said Singletary. "But that's not the case with courses developed by FoolProof. The Foundation has made it a mission to show young people how to be critical thinkers and question everything,"

Sheila Bair, 19th Chair of the FDIC and a member of FoolProof's Cronkite Project Task Force attended the presentation. Walter Cronkite IV also attended.

"A big congratulations to President Coleman and the entire FoolProof team for winning the Jump$tart Innovation Award,"Cronkite said. "This is a well-deserved recognition that reflects years of hard, innovative, and effective work teaching young people financial literacy and healthy skepticism. My grandfather would be incredibly proud of what the FoolProof Foundation has become," concluded Mr. Cronkite.

About the FoolProof Foundation: FoolProof's financial literacy curriculums are the only financial curriculums in the United States endorsed by Public Citizen, The Consumer Federation of America, FairPlay for Children, the National Association of Consumer Advocates, and the Children's Screen Time Action Network. To learn more about FoolProof's work and see how we're creating a more equitable future, visit foolprooffoundation.org.