Nearly Half of Teens Lack Real-World Skills – River Ellington's Expert-Approved Books Prepare Youth for Life, Work, and Money
Staten Island, NY - May 29, 2025 - River Ellington, an advocate for setting teens up for success, unveils his two new books on financial literacy for teens. Titled Essential Money Skills for Ambitious Teens and Practical Career Planning for Ambitious Teens, the books provide a comprehensive, research-backed approach to financial literacy and career development, guiding teens through foundational money management principles and strategic career planning to help them build long-term financial confidence and independence.
The Teen Life series is designed to fill critical gaps in today's classrooms by teaching teens the real-world skills they need but often don't learn in school. With step-by-step lessons, classroom activities, and free downloadable toolkits, Ellington's books offer a hands-on approach that aligns with national standards for career readiness and financial literacy.
'Too many students graduate with little understanding of how money works or how to plan for their futures,' says Ellington, a father of two and longtime advocate for youth empowerment. 'These books were written to change that—not with lectures, but with relatable content teens can actually use.'
The urgency is backed by data. According to the 2024 State of Financial Education Report, only 26.3% of U.S. public high school students are currently guaranteed access to a standalone personal finance course. That number is expected to rise to 53.3% by 2030, but millions of students still remain without structured support in this area. Meanwhile, surveys show that 78% of teens are stressed about money, and 73% would take a money-management course if it were offered.
Career readiness is another key concern. A 2024 YouScience Workforce Report found that 40% of employers feel high schools aren't doing enough to prepare students for the working world. Communication, problem-solving, and self-direction remain among the most in-demand yet underdeveloped skills in young graduates.
Ellington's second book, Practical Career Planning for Ambitious Teens, tackles this head-on. It walks teens through discovering their interests, exploring real-world job paths, and taking actionable steps toward long-term goals—while also introducing job search strategies, networking tips, and future-proof skills. 'Psychologically, this book is a lifeline.' Says Marina L., a licensed psychologist.
Already a #1 New Release in Teen & Young Adult Careers Nonfiction eBooks, the Teen Life series has received high praise from parents and educators for being engaging, clear, and immediately useful. Each book includes QR codes linking to bonus resources such as budget planners, digital worksheets, and tools to build confidence.
The series' third title, Essential Life Skills for Ambitious Teens, is set to launch later this year and will focus on communication, time management, and emotional resilience—rounding out the core areas needed for young people to succeed in adulthood.
Ellington's books are available now on Amazon. For bulk orders, school partnerships, or media inquiries, contact Mr. River Ellington at MrRiverEllington@gmail.com.
About River Ellington
River Ellington is a Staten Island-based author and advocate committed to helping teens build real-world skills in money management, career planning, and life readiness. As a dedicated father of two, he combines personal insight with research-driven strategies to create accessible, engaging resources for young readers. His Teen Life book series equips teens with the tools they need to make informed decisions, set meaningful goals, and navigate adulthood with confidence. Ellington's work has earned recognition from parents, educators, and readers nationwide for its practical approach and teen-friendly tone. Learn more at River Ellington's Amazon Author Page.
Media Contact
Contact Person: River Ellington
Email: Send Email
Country: United States
Website:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Globe and Mail
28 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Trump and Xi agree to further talks to settle trade disputes between U.S., China
U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping agreed to further talks between the countries to hash out differences on tariffs that have roiled the global economy, according to U.S. and Chinese summaries of their phone call on Thursday. 'There should no longer be any questions respecting the complexity of Rare Earth products,' Trump wrote on social media. 'Our respective teams will be meeting shortly at a location to be determined.' Trump and a Chinese government summary of the meeting said the leaders had invited each other to their respective countries at a future date. 'The U.S. side should take a realistic view of the progress made and withdraw the negative measures imposed on China,' the Chinese government said in a statement published by the state-run Xinhua news agency. 'Xi Jinping welcomed Trump's visit to China again, and Trump expressed his sincere gratitude.' Beijing envoy urges Ottawa to end tariffs on Chinese EVs and warns against 'Cold War mentality' The highly anticipated call came amid accusations between Washington and Beijing in recent weeks over 'rare earths' minerals in a dispute that has threatened to tear up a fragile truce in the trade war between the two biggest economies. The countries struck a 90-day deal on May 12 to roll back some of the triple-digit, tit-for-tat tariffs they had placed on each other since Trump's January inauguration. Though stocks rallied, the temporary deal did not address broader concerns that strain the bilateral relationship, from the illicit fentanyl trade to the status of democratically governed Taiwan and U.S. complaints about China's state-dominated, export-driven economic model. Since returning to the White House in January, Trump has repeatedly threatened an array of punitive measures on trading partners, only to revoke some of them at the last minute. The on-again, off-again approach has baffled world leaders and spooked business executives, who say the uncertainty has made it difficult to forecast market conditions. How a Canadian suit maker got slammed by Trump's China tariffs China's decision in April to suspend exports of a wide range of critical minerals and magnets continues to disrupt supplies needed by automakers, computer chip manufacturers and military contractors around the world. Beijing sees mineral exports as a source of leverage – halting those exports could put domestic political pressure on the Republican U.S. president if economic growth sags because companies cannot produce mineral-powered products. The 90-day deal to roll back tariffs and trade restrictions is tenuous. Trump has accused China of violating the agreement and has ordered curbs on chip design software and other shipments to China, while also doubling steel and aluminum tariffs to 50%. Beijing rejected the claim and threatened countermeasures. In recent years, the United States has identified China as its top geopolitical rival and the only country in the world able to challenge the U.S. economically and militarily. Despite this and repeated trade threats and tariff announcements, Trump has spoken admiringly of Xi, including of the Chinese leader's toughness and ability to stay in power without the term limits imposed on U.S. presidents. Trump has long pushed for a call or a meeting with Xi, but China has rejected that as not in keeping with its traditional approach of working out agreement details before the leaders talk. The U.S. president and his aides see leader-to-leader talks as vital to sort through log-jams that have vexed lower-level officials in difficult negotiations. Thursday's call came at Trump's request, China said. It's not clear when the two men last spoke. Both sides said they spoke on Jan. 17, days before Trump's inauguration and Trump has repeatedly said that he had spoken to Xi since taking office on Jan. 20. He has declined to say when any call took place or to give details of their conversation. China had said that the two leaders had not had any recent phone calls. The talks are being closely watched by investors worried that a chaotic trade war could cut into corporate earnings and disrupt supply chains in the key months before the Christmas holiday shopping season. Trump's tariffs are also the subject of ongoing litigation in U.S. courts.
Globe and Mail
28 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Carney and Trump holding secret talks on trade and security, U.S. envoy says
Prime Minister Mark Carney is holding direct and secret talks with U.S. President Donald Trump to iron out a framework for a trade and security agreement, says the U.S. Ambassador to Canada. Peter Hoekstra told The Globe and Mail that talks between the leaders and top cabinet ministers are being held under a cone of silence to ensure a positive outcome. The Prime Minister and the President met in the Oval Office on May 6 but there has been no indication until now that they had been holding direct negotiations. 'You have the relationship and the discussions between the President and the Prime Minister,' he said, adding 'they have had conversations, more than just the Oval Office.' 'The indications that they are talking and in communications regularly is a clear indicator to me that both sides recognize the importance and the urgency of moving this forward.' The talks include Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, he said. Mr. Hoekstra said the Canadians and Americans are 'laying out the perimeters' of a deal that could involve boosting U.S. content in autos, improving U.S. access to Canadian critical minerals and ensuring Canada plays a much bigger role in the Arctic. The talks also include increased defence spending, energy, border security, fentanyl as well as steel and aluminum. The current talks are solely between Canada and the U.S. and do not involve Mexico, the ambassador said. But he said the Canadians and Americans want the talks to be successful, which is why they are working hard to ensure there no leaks. 'This is too important for it be managed by leaks. There is too much at stake. You are our second largest trading partner,' he said. Mr. Hoekstra said it was entirely possible that a deal could be reached before September, something the Prime Minister alluded to last week. 'Sure, September is possible. Is possible to be earlier. Sure. Is it possible that it will be later, sure,' he said. 'When the President is ready to announce an agreement and the Prime Minister is ready to announce an agreement. That is when that will happen.' More to come
Globe and Mail
30 minutes ago
- Globe and Mail
Is It Too Late to Buy Uber?
Uber Technologies (NYSE: UBER) has been on an absolute tear. As of June 3, its shares have soared 38% in 2025. That's a tremendous gain during a time when the broader S&P 500 index is up just 2%. If you zoom out, the return is even more eye-popping. In the past two years, this top growth stock has catapulted 109% higher. Strong financial performance is clearly winning over the investment community. Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue » Perhaps you've missed the ride thus far. Is it too late for investors to buy Uber? Diversified business model It's been incredible to observe Uber's monumental ascent. What was once solely a ride-hailing service has evolved into both a mobility and delivery behemoth. In Q4 2019, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, mobility gross bookings represented 75% of the company's total. In the latest quarter (Q1 2025), it was an almost even split between mobility and delivery. This kind of diversified model is hard to overstate, and it gives Uber an advantage. This shows up in the ability to leverage the same driver network, allowing these gig workers to earn more money. Uber has more data to work with, which can support various marketing and promotional activities. And it can be a holistic solution for consumers who don't want to navigate multiple apps. What's more, Uber brings in more than one revenue stream. In the first quarter of 2025, it registered $6.5 billion in revenue from mobility and $3.8 billion from delivery. There is a freight segment as well, which is tiny by comparison. Generating substantial profits What was probably once unimaginable to the critics is now a reality. And that is the fact that Uber is extremely profitable these days. It's a scaled platform that is boosting bottom-line performance. Uber posted $1.2 billion in operating income in Q1. That figure is a drastic improvement from a $1.3 billion operating loss in the first quarter of 2020. A fresh focus on creating a more efficient organization is clearly working. The management team expects adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) to grow about 37% to 40% between 2024 and 2027. Operating from a position of power Uber continues to operate from a position of strength thanks to its tremendous network effect. It counted 170 million monthly active users in Q1. There are more than 7 million drivers. And last year, Uber surpassed 1 million merchants. With more users, drivers, and merchants, the entire platform constantly becomes more valuable to all stakeholders. Uber's competitive position is also supported by its powerful brand presence. The Uber name is now often used as a verb, both for getting from point A to point B and for having something delivered. That mindshare works wonders for Uber's visibility. And it highlights just how valuable Uber has become to other companies that want to tap into such a massive user base. Uber recently announced partnerships with OpenTable and Delta Air Lines. And key players working on autonomous vehicle (AV) technology, like Waymo, WeRide, and many others, have also chosen to partner with Uber to help further develop, improve, and commercialize their services. Because of Uber's competitive strengths and unrivaled reach, it makes sense these partners are leaning on it. Uber is positioning itself to be a leader in AV. Are you late to the Uber party? At the start of 2025, shares traded at a very compelling forward price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.7. Of course, the situation isn't as cheap today. The current multiple is 22.9. However, I don't believe this valuation is asking too much of investors. As mentioned, there are many reasons to like this business. And there remains a sizable growth opportunity. For instance, CEO Dara Khosrowshahi says that AV technology alone presents a $1 trillion opportunity just in the U.S. Additionally, Uber is trying to sign up more teenagers, increase rider frequency, and expand use cases. There appears to be substantial upside for prospective investors over the long term. This means it's not too late to buy Uber stock. Should you invest $1,000 in Uber Technologies right now? Before you buy stock in Uber Technologies, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Uber Technologies wasn't one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $668,538!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you'd have $869,841!* Now, it's worth noting Stock Advisor 's total average return is789% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to172%for the S&P 500. Don't miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor. See the 10 stocks » *Stock Advisor returns as of June 2, 2025
