What Students Learned About Money Management at Mississippi Charities’ Back-to-School Fair

JACKSON, Miss., July 25, 2026 — Financial literacy took a prominent place at the Mississippi Charities Back-to-School Knowledge & Resource Fair, where students and families gathered at the Walter Payton Health and Recreation Center at Jackson State University. Held as a free community event, the fair brought together educational resources, wellness services and back-to-school support ahead of the new school year. Financial education was presented through “The Road to Financial Freedom,” a life-sized financial literacy game created by Jackson native Bostic Poindexter. The interactive game allowed students to learn about money management through gameplay, placing financial education alongside other activities designed for young people and families.

The event was scheduled for July 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Walter Payton Health and Recreation Center. Financial literacy was one of several areas covered at the fair, alongside education, health and wellness, agriculture, culinary arts, personal care and financial wellness. The range of resources allowed families to prepare for the school year while exploring subjects beyond traditional classroom learning. The event also connected students and families with information, activities and community resources in one location.

Making Financial Education Interactive

“The Road to Financial Freedom” was one of the fair’s featured activities. Rather than presenting financial concepts only through a classroom-style lesson, the game placed students on a life-sized board and allowed them to learn through participation. Jackson native Bostic Poindexter created the oversized version of the game, giving financial literacy a physical and interactive format. The activity focused on money management and financial habits, bringing those subjects into a setting designed for students who were attending the fair with their families.

Chase Bank volunteers guided students through the financial literacy game, according to local coverage of the event. The activity allowed participants to engage directly with financial education while other parts of the fair addressed school preparation and family resources. The inclusion of financial literacy in a back-to-school event also placed money management alongside education and wellness, making it one of several subjects presented to students during the gathering.

Resources Beyond the Classroom

The fair was designed to give students and families more than one type of back-to-school resource. Designated areas covered education, health and wellness, agriculture, culinary arts, personal care and financial wellness. Bringing these areas together gave the event a wide range of activities and information for families preparing for the academic year. The gathering also provided a setting where community partners could meet with attendees and share resources connected to student and family needs.

The event’s focus on financial wellness added another dimension to school-year preparation. Students could take part in the financial literacy game while families explored other areas of the fair. The combination of school resources, wellness services and educational activities made the gathering relevant to both students and parents. Rather than treating financial education as separate from other forms of preparation, the fair placed it within a larger community event focused on students and families.

Photo credit: Jackson Advocate

Preparing Students for the School Year

Back-to-school events often focus on students’ immediate needs, but the Mississippi Charities fair also included activities related to learning and personal development. The financial literacy game gave students a hands-on introduction to money management, allowing them to explore financial concepts through direct participation. Other sections of the fair covered areas such as agriculture and culinary arts, giving attendees access to subjects and resources outside the traditional school-supply checklist.

The fair also brought students and families together before the start of the new school year. By holding the event at Jackson State University’s Walter Payton Health and Recreation Center, organizers created a shared setting for educational resources, wellness services and back-to-school support. The event’s free community format allowed families to participate in the activities and access the resources available during the four-hour gathering.

Financial Literacy Takes Its Place

The financial literacy component gave the fair a distinct educational focus. Through “The Road to Financial Freedom,” students encountered money management in a format built around participation rather than a conventional lesson. The life-sized game provided a way for young attendees to engage with financial concepts while attending an event that also covered education, wellness, and other areas of interest. Chase Bank volunteers helped guide participants through the game, connecting financial education with direct interaction.

The Mississippi Charities Back-to-School Knowledge & Resource Fair showed how financial literacy can be included alongside other resources presented to students and families before a new academic year. The July 25 gathering brought together education, health and wellness, agriculture, culinary arts, personal care and financial wellness at the Walter Payton Health and Recreation Center. For students, the financial freedom game offered an introduction to money management through hands-on participation. For families, the event provided a single place to explore a range of educational and community resources as they prepared for the school year.