First Semester of Economic Freedom 101 Concludes at The Freedom Institute with Transformational Student Success

NAPLES, Fla., June 13, 2025. The inaugural semester of Economic Freedom 101, a groundbreaking course introduced by former state representative Tom Grady at The Freedom Institute of Collier County, has officially concluded, and the results exceeded expectations.

Launched in January 2025, Economic Freedom 101 gave high school students at Freedom a unique opportunity to manage real financial capital while learning the foundations of economics, investing, and personal finance. Throughout the course, students handled a collective investment pool of more than $200,000, making real-time financial decisions and tracking the consequences of their strategies.

“This first semester proved that students are not only capable but eager to take on real-world financial challenges. They learned how inflation, regulation, entrepreneurship, and market forces impact their personal economic outcomes, and more importantly, how to navigate those forces confidently.”

Tom Grady, Former State Representative

Students completed the course with hands-on experience in budgeting, saving, investing, credit management, and even real estate analysis. Several student teams exceeded growth benchmarks and presented their financial strategies in a capstone presentation.

Economic Freedom 101 is just one of the bold initiatives that earned The Freedom Institute recognition as a semifinalist for the prestigious Yass Prize for Education Freedom. The school’s focus on Sustainable, Transformational, Outstanding, and Permissionless education continues to draw national attention.

Founded in 2023, The Freedom Institute is a personalized high school that nearly doubled its enrollment in its second year. With overwhelming interest from families across the region, Freedom is currently exploring opportunities to expand its model.