Financial Educators Day: Thank You for Teaching What School Often Doesn’t

By Ben Joergens, Old National Bank Financial Empowerment Program Director

April 24 is Financial Educators Day — a chance to recognize the teachers, counselors, nonprofit leaders, workplace mentors, and community volunteers who help people build everyday money skills.

Financial education often happens one conversation at a time, and it’s hard to overstate the impact of having someone who can explain the basics with patience and without judgment. Financial educators do more than share information — they build confidence. When people feel safe asking questions, they’re more likely to take action and stick with healthier habits over time.

At Old National Bank, we see financial education as essential community infrastructure. That’s why we invest in programs that make money topics easier to understand and talk about, and why we’re able to host workshops throughout our entire footprint, led by hundreds of licensed instructors who can teach in schools, workplaces, and community settings.

Why financial educators matter

Financial educators help turn confusing topics into usable knowledge: budgeting, credit, saving, fraud prevention, and planning for milestones. That knowledge supports stronger decisions and fewer surprises. It also helps close gaps for people who didn’t grow up learning these skills at home or in school.

When someone understands their options, such as how credit works, how to build a spending plan, what to watch for with fraud, they’re better prepared to make the next decision with clarity.

What effective financial education looks like

In my experience, the best financial education is practical and respectful of where people are starting. It avoids jargon, uses real examples, and gives participants simple actions they can take right away.

Most importantly, it creates space for questions, because that’s where learning really happens. Financial education consists of:

1. Starting with the basics: banking, budgeting, and credit fundamentals create a foundation for everything else.
2. Making it doable: share simple tools and routines people can use in 10–15 minutes a week.
3. Normalizing questions: people learn faster when they don’t feel judged for what they don’t know.
4. Connecting to goals: show how day-to-day habits support milestones like homeownership, education costs, or retirement planning.

That’s also why partnerships matter. When educators and community organizations have access to consistent materials and trained instructors, they can expand reach and reinforce learning over time.

Workshops and resources to support your learners

Old National Bank can partner with schools, employers, nonprofits, and community groups to deliver financial education where it’s needed most. With hundreds of licensed instructors across our footprint, we can offer in-person or virtual sessions and tailor them to different age groups and life stages, with topics such as:

• Budgeting and cash-flow basics
• Understanding credit (scores, reports, and responsible borrowing)
• Banking 101 (accounts, digital tools, and common pitfalls)
• Saving strategies and building an emergency fund
• Fraud prevention and identity protection
• Milestone planning (first job, first apartment, homeownership, retirement basics)

How to request a workshop (and what to share)

To get started, connect with your local Old National banker or branch team, or visit our financial education workshops page to request a session. Sharing a few details up front helps us tailor the content and match you with the right instructor:

• Who is the audience (students, employees, families, seniors, small business owners)?
• What topics are most important right now (budgeting, credit, fraud, homeownership, etc.)?
• Do you prefer an in-person or virtual session, and what date/time works best?
• About how many participants do you expect, and what’s their typical comfort level with financial topics?
• Learn more about workshops: Old National financial education workshops

To every financial educator: thank you

Financial educators help people feel less overwhelmed and more capable — often in moments when they need it most. On Financial Educators Day, I want to say thank you for the time you invest and the trust you build.

If Old National can support your work with resources, a guest instructor, or a workshop for your audience, we’d be proud to partner with you.

A simple next step for April 24

If you’re reading this as an educator, consider choosing one “money basic” to reinforce this month, such as budgeting, credit, saving, or fraud prevention, and giving people a clear, simple action to practice. If you’re reading this as a learner, pick one question you’ve been avoiding and ask it. Momentum often starts with one conversation.

Financial education works best when it’s consistent, practical, and human. I’m grateful for the educators who make that happen every day.

For more on Real-Life Finance workshops and free resources, click here.

Note: This article and any related workshops/materials are provided for educational purposes and are not intended as specific financial, legal, tax, or investment advice. Please consult qualified professionals regarding your individual circumstances. Products and services are subject to eligibility and availability.