PersonalFinanceLab is all about helping young people learn more about financial literacy, with our animated videos, budgeting game, and stock game working with our lesson library to bring learning to life.
To bring these concepts to life, our cast of characters has been showing up across our games, videos, and lessons for the last year. These characters have their own personalities and attitudes about money, which helps students see how financial concepts play out in the real world.
Model Portfolios for Financial Literacy Month
To help kick off our Financial Literacy Challenge for the 2025 Financial Literacy Month, we wanted to formally introduce our cast of characters. Each character has also put together their own portfolio for the Stock Game portion of the Challenge – and are happy to explain how and why they made their picks.
If your students are struggling to make their first trades, our cast can help! Each cast member has 3 ETFs or mutual funds in their portfolio, 4 stocks they bought, and 3 stocks they shorted. They all also share their reasoning of why each holding belongs in their portfolio – giving great rationale for students to refer to as they build their own portfolios!
Each of the Cast Members will appear in the Stock Game Rankings for the Financial Literacy Challenge, so students can see how they perform against each of these model portfolios!
Meet The Cast
Chet
Chet is a laid-back and carefree individual who lives in the moment, often prioritizing short-term pleasures over long-term consequences.
Tia
Tia is a meticulous and analytical individual who thrives in the world of numbers and technology, always seeking to optimize her life. She could spend hours doing puzzles or complex math-based games.
Eric
Eric is a rugged and energetic handyman who thrives on action and competition, always looking for the next challenge or project to tackle with his hands-on skills and booming personality. He used to play football in school, and now plays recreational softball on weekends.
Maggie
Maggie is a sentimental and practical individual who values stability and security, often prioritizing comfort and familiarity over adventure and risk.
Esteban
Esteban is fascinated by space since he was a kid. He loves reading and writing science fiction, and his dry sense of humor is loved by his friends and classmates (and tolerated by his teachers). He effortlessly gets good grades.
Jesse
Jesse is a driven and resourceful individual who embodies the spirit of a true go-getter, always striving to achieve her goals and live life on her own terms. She is athletic and plays competitive volleyball.
Ryan
Ryan is a charismatic and confident entrepreneur who effortlessly navigates the cutthroat world of high-stakes business deals with his quick wit, sharp instincts, and infectious charm.
Amira
Amira is a creative and empathetic individual who thrives in the world of art and self-expression, always seeking to inspire and uplift those around her.
We will be introducing students to the Cast throughout the challenge to help give tips, trading ideas, and help cement the core principles of financial literacy.
If you haven’t already encountered our Cast in our videos and mini-games, stay tuned as they make more appearances across our lessons and activities!
-The PFinLab Team