Students Petition Their Schools, Advocating for a Brighter Financial
Future
RIVERWOODS, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 2012--
Discover today announced a partnership with DoSomething.org, a
non-profit organization that focuses on causes teenagers care about,
calling on teenagers across the country to petition their high schools
to bring financial education into their classrooms.
Students can visit DoSomething.org
to sign the petition – currently with more than 37,000 signatures –
hosted on the DoSomething.org education
page. After signing the petition, students can either print it or
email it to their school administrators and, by sharing the petition
with five others, are eligible for a $3,000 higher education
scholarship. DoSomething.org has randomly awarded two $3,000
scholarships and will award three more $3,000 scholarships and one
$5,000 scholarship before the end of 2012.
The partnership coincides with Discover’s Pathway
to Financial Success program, a 5-year, $10 million investment
launched earlier this year, to bring financial education to public high
schools across the country. Through Pathway
to Financial Success, Discover is providing grants to high schools
to cover the cost of implementing a personal finance course, giving them
access to a standards-based curriculum and offering teachers the
training they need to deliver it. Discover has awarded more than $1
million in financial education grants in 2012 thus far.
“A poll released by Sallie Mae showed that 84 percent of high school
students nationwide believe there should be more financial education in
their classroom,” said Kathryn Beiser, vice president of corporate
communications at Discover. “As teens go back to school, our partnership
with DoSomething.org is a great way to engage them and their schools in
a cause that will give students an opportunity for a brighter financial
future.”
“With over 37,000 teens signing this petition to date, it’s obvious that
young people are demanding financial education at their schools,” said
DoSomething.org COO Aria Finger. “They don’t want to wait for change;
they’re young, passionate and ready to take action right now.”
Students also are taking advantage of social media sites’ sharing power.
More than 3,100 students have recommended the petition on Facebook and
1,000 have taken to Twitter to spread awareness. The petition campaign
runs through the end of December.
About Discover
Discover Financial Services (NYSE:DFS) is a direct banking and payment
services company with one of the most recognized brands in U.S.
financial services. Since its inception in 1986, the company has become
one of the largest card issuers in the United States. The company
operates the Discover
card, America’s cash rewards pioneer, and offers home loans, private
student loans, personal loans, online savings accounts, certificates of
deposit and money market accounts through its direct
banking business. Its payment
businesses consist of Discover
Network, with millions of merchant and cash access locations; PULSE,
one of the nation’s leading ATM/debit networks; and Diners
Club International, a global payments network with acceptance in
more than 185 countries and territories. For more information, visit www.discoverfinancial.com.
About DoSomething.org
We love teens. They are creative, active, wired…and frustrated that our
world is so messed up. DoSomething.org harnesses that awesome energy and
unleashes it on causes teens care about. Almost every week, we launch a
new national campaign. The call to action is always something that has a
real impact and doesn’t require money, an adult, or a car. With a goal
of five million active members by 2015, DoSomething.org is one of the
largest organizations in the U.S. for teens and social change. Join us
at www.DoSomething.org.
Source: Discover Financial Services
Discover Financial Services
Matthew Towson
Senior Manager,
Community Affairs & Media Relations
224-405-5649
matthewtowson@discover.com