Cleveland’s youth face one of the highest poverty rates in the nation, driven by systemic barriers and a lack of financial education. Many young people graduate without understanding the essentials of saving, budgeting, credit, investing, taxes, and insurance, skills critical for breaking the cycle of generational poverty. At Breadwinners Academy, we equip students with these tools, empowering them to make informed decisions, build wealth, and create opportunities that uplift their communities.

Our Founder and Executive Director, Jason Lockett Sr., a proud Cleveland native and alumnus of John F. Kennedy High School in the Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD), understands these challenges firsthand. As a first-generation college graduate, he recalls being introduced to 401(k)s, Roth IRAs, and HSAs during onboarding for his first job, a humbling experience where he realized just how unprepared he was. The power of compound interest and its potential to transform the financial health of an entire family tree is too significant to overlook. Life may be the best teacher, but we’re on a mission to prepare every student to ace the financial exams of life.

The most common statement we hear is, “I wish this was taught in schools,” and we’re committed to changing that. We’re no longer sitting on the sidelines wishing for change, we’ve decided to be the change we want to see in the world.

“Bridging the wealth gap through financial literacy”

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Jason B Lockett Sr.
Executive Director