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Summer School 8: Graduation LIVE!

Planet Money

2025/08/27
Planet Money

Planet Money

2025/08/27
In the final episode of Planet Money Summer School 2025, the team wraps up the season with a live graduation ceremony filled with humor, trivia, and recognition of economic knowledge. The event, held at The Bell House in Brooklyn, features a competition for valedictorian, a deep dive into the importance of government data, and a celebration of learning. The show also touches on the broader implications of economic policy and the importance of independent institutions.
The episode opens with a live commencement-style introduction and a quiz testing the audience's knowledge of economics and government agencies. Two contestants compete for the title of valedictorian by answering questions on topics ranging from regulatory capture to obscure historical trivia. The show also explores the challenges faced by government agencies like the Bureau of Labor Statistics in maintaining trust and accuracy in economic data, especially under political pressure. It highlights the importance of unbiased data collection in shaping economic understanding. The episode concludes with a humorous valedictorian speech and a thank you to the audience and production team, along with a reminder that listeners can take an online quiz to earn a digital diploma.
00:10
00:10
President Trump reportedly wants to fire Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve Board.
07:23
07:23
A producer once followed a BLS employee to observe inflation data collection firsthand.
13:18
13:18
Kartik Athreya emphasizes the importance of distinguishing signal from noise in economic data
27:22
27:22
Yale Zhang advises graduates to stand up for truth and accuracy