There are about 78 million American "Generation Y" individuals who were born between 1979 and 1994. These “millennial kids” are labeled Generation Y because they follow on the heels of Generation X, people born in the ’60s and ‘70s.

Gen Xers lived to hear the words, “We don’t have a lot of rules here.” They tended to be individuals who value work-life balance. Generation Y, however, grew up in a time of economic expansion and, until recently, never experienced an economic downturn. They tend to be more optimistic than Gen Xers and expect success early in their lives.

Teens spend $63 billion per year.

Teenage girls spend an average of $44 per week.

Teenage boys spend an average of $34 per week.

Generation Y accounts for 46% of adult spending on audio equipment.

Generation Y accounts for 48% of adult spending on athletic shoes.

Nearly 60% of United States households with children under the age of seven have personal computers.

More than 50,000 students were in Adventist K–8 classrooms.

Another 16,000 were in Adventist secondary schools.

There were 1,100 elementary schools and junior academies.

There were 93 senior academies.

Nearly 17,000 additional students attended the division’s 12 colleges and universities.

More than 48,300 students were in Adventist K–8 classrooms.

Another 14,530 were in Adventist secondary schools.

There were 941 elementary schools and junior academies.

There were 113 senior academies.

More than 20,500 additional students attended the division’s 15 colleges or universities.

Source: VALUEGENESIS: Ten Years Later, A Study of Two Generations. Available through AdventSource and the Hancock Center, hcyfm@lasierra.edu