Ankeny, IA, April 25, 2012 - Students at Ankeny High School are better prepared to make smart financial decisions after successfully completing the Iowa Financial Literacy Program sponsored statewide by the Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid), locally by Principal Financial Group and supported by Iowa Bankers Association. The web-based program uses the latest in new media technologies - video, animations, 3-D gaming, avatars and social networking - to bring complex financial concepts to life for today's digital generation.

A recognition event, held at Ankeny High School on Monday April 23, 2012, included remarks from Congressman Tom Latham, Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass, Superintendent of Ankeny Community School District Dr. Matthew Wendt, Chairman, President and CEO of Principal Financial Group Larry Zimpleman, Heather Doe, Associate Director of Marketing and Communications for Iowa College Aid and Tom Davidson, CEO of EverFi Inc.

"In today's economy, it is crucial to provide Iowa's youth with a better understanding of personal finance," said Karen Misjak, Executive Director of Iowa College Aid. "By providing the Iowa Financial Literacy Program to Iowa high schools, we are giving students the opportunity to master concepts such as budgeting, saving, using credit cards wisely, and making smart borrowing decisions that will help them as they go on to college or enter the workforce."

While over 120 Iowa high schools are currently using the Iowa Financial Literacy Program, Ankeny High School is the first in the state to implement the program as a required component in a required course for all seniors. As a result, Ankeny High School is the state leader in the number of students, almost 400, certified in over 600 core components of financial literacy.

"This program, which is now a part of the Senior Economics class curriculum, is giving students an awareness of their finances that they would not normally have received in the past," explained Dr. Matthew Wendt, Superintendent of Ankeny School District. "It is helping them to not only visualize what their futures may hold, but how to better shape that future."

Free access and program support for Iowa high schools is made possible through Iowa College Aid's statewide sponsorship and the sponsorship of local financial institutions. The Principal Financial Group sponsors the Iowa Financial Literacy Program at Ankeny High School, Des Moines Public Schools and other districts in Central Iowa. The 10-unit course offers six hours of programming aimed at teaching, assessing and certifying students in a variety of financial topics including credit scores, insurance, credit cards, student loans, mortgages, taxes, stocks, savings, 401k investments and other critical concepts that map to national and state financial literacy standards.

"Ankeny High School is leading the way for financial literacy in Iowa and the U.S.," said EverFi CEO Tom Davidson. "By making financial education a senior requirement, they are ensuring that generations of Ankeny graduates will be empowered with critical life skills to help them succeed. Congratulations to all of the students and families at Ankeny High School."

For more information on the Iowa Financial Literacy Program and local sponsorship opportunities, please contact Iowa College Aid at 877-272-4456 or visit Iowa College Aid's website at www.IowaCollegeAid.gov.

About the Iowa College Student Aid Commission Iowa College Aid provides college access, financial literacy, and outreach services to Iowa's students and families as they prepare, plan and pay for college. Iowa College Aid also administers state scholarship, grant, work study, and loan forgiveness programs totaling nearly $60.0 million annually, administers the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), provides borrowers with assistance to avoid the serious consequences of default, conducts research and distributes higher education data, and offers Iowans assistance in obtaining student financial aid and college-related information. Through its role, Iowa College Aid also serves as the state-designated administrator of the U.S. Department of Education's College Access Challenge Grant, which is designed to increase the college-going culture in Iowa. Additionally, Iowa College Aid is the administrator of the Federal GEARUP Grant, a multi-year, state-wide grant which is being utilized to provide early awareness programming and outreach initiatives to thousands of Iowa's students and families. More information is available at www.IowaCollegeAid.gov.

About Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group® is a global investment management leader including retirement services, insurance solutions and asset management. The Principal offers businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement, asset management and insurance through its diverse family of financial services companies. Founded in 1879 and a member of the FORTUNE 500®, the Principal Financial Group has $335.0 billion in assets under management and serves some 18.0 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG.

About EverFi, Inc.

EverFi, Inc. is the leading education technology company to teach, assess, and certify students in critical skills. EverFi's education learning platforms include Financial Literacy, Student Loan Management, Digital Literacy, Cyberbullying, and Alcohol Abuse Awareness. The company uses the latest technology, including rich media, high-definition video, simulation, diagrams, and avatars. EverFi teams with major corporations and foundations to provide the programs at no cost to K-12 schools.

Source: Iowa College Student Aid Commission (Iowa College Aid)