VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — For most people, talking about budgeting and investing can feel intimidating. But learning about money can feel less like a lecture and more like a game at InvestaCon.
The free, hands-on experience is taking place at Virginia Wesleyan University at 9 a.m. on Saturday, March 21. Created by Kezia Hendricks and the Young Investors Group, the event is designed to help families and kids tackle real conversations about money together.
Hendricks, who has decades of banking experience, says the key to breaking through is to make learning active and fun for kids as young as 10.
"We should be introducing the information and giving it to them in consumable ways that they understand it," Hendricks said.
The activities range from using artificial intelligence to build a budget to visualizing a credit report with a childhood game.
Vendor coordinator Sonya Phillips explained the strategy behind the event.
"[Kezia] had to find a way to ‘gamify’ it so that they would pay attention, they'd be interested and they actually will learn," Phillips said.
Norfolk State University students have been involved every step of the way as interns, getting their own real-world experience in the process. Sophomore Serena Myers says the need for this event stems from a gap in traditional education.
"They don't teach us that in school," Myers said.
"I was always told that credit is bad and you really shouldn't have to have a credit card, but I realized that having a credit card, you need it. It comes with a lot," Myers said.
Norfolk State student Kyla Lane noted the responsibilities the interns have taken on.
"It's definitely big with organizing and leadership roles we've definitely had to take like leadership within this project," Lane said.
Student Sheldon Carter says the challenges are teaching him resilience.
“You're learning new things every day, every week, you're meeting new people [and making] new connections. You never know what those connections can lead to,” Carter said.
Phillips added how the program comes full circle.
“We have these interns that are college students but they're going in and they're training the middle and the high school students and so we get to see them pay it forward," Phillips said.
Click here to register for InvestaCon.
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