WASHINGTON, DC U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today announced that the Rhode Island Jump$tart Coalition will receive $10,000 through the U.S. Department of Education's Excellence in Economic Education (EEE) program to engage high school aged peer leaders directly in high impact financial literacy education. The Rhode Island Financial High (RI-FI High) Program is a statewide program that will train 11th and 12th grade participants on personal finance, teaching them real-world money skills and highlighting the importance of budgeting and saving.  The students then conduct public awareness campaigns in their high schools to help promote personal financial knowledge amongst their peers. Reed wrote a letter urging the National Council on Economic Education (NCEE) to support the program in November of this year. The RI Jump$tart Coalition has helped provide hundreds of young Rhode Islanders with the tools to prepare for their economic future. I am pleased that they have received this federal funding to provide quality financial education to our high school age students, Reed stated. These young adults will soon be facing credit card offers, bills, and other expenses. It is essential that they have an understanding of their finances and how the choices that they make now and in the years to come will affect the rest of their lives.The EEE program awards grants to the NCEE to help promote economic and financial literacy among all students in kindergarten through grade 12. The NCEE then distributes funding to organizations across the nation. Reed supported the Excellence in Economic Education Act of 2004, and has consistently supported funding for the program. Jim Hedemark, Executive Director of the Rhode Island Jump$tart Coalition stated, Since the establishment of the RI Jump$tart Coalition in 2004, Senator Reed has worked to ensure that meaningful Rhode Island financial education programs receive their fair share of federal funding through the EEE program.  The Senator's most recent support has effectively doubled the reach of the Coalitions new RI-FI High program.  Senator Reed is a treasured Honorary Partner of the Coalition and a true friend of financial literacy."