Former Republican presidential candidate and current Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes Media Steve Forbes will be speaking at Lake Forest High School on March 3. LFHS’s Young Americans for Freedom chapter is sponsoring the event.

One of the chapter’s founders, junior Alisa Giannelli, said that she is thrilled to welcome Mr. Forbes to campus. “We were trying to find someone… who could appeal to the community but also [excite] our members to come to the event,” she said.

Mr. Forbes, a YAF speaker, will be speaking about the importance of capitalism in America and how it can be preserved despite what he argues is an increase in the popularity of socialism.

“His knowledge of capitalism is insane, and he brings a lot of different insights… Especially with the different presidential candidates on both sides, you can see their different policies whether it’s capitalism or socialism, and I think it’s important to know the difference between the two and let people form their own opinions,” Giannelli said.

Mr. Forbes’s grandfather, B.C. Forbes, founded Forbes magazine in 1917; it has since expanded into the world’s largest business media brand.

In each print issue of the magazine, Mr. Forbes reveals his forecasts of the economy in his editorial “Fact and Comment.” His editorials have won him four Crystal Owl Awards, which are awarded annually to the writer with the most accurate economic predictions. He is also the co-author of several books on economic policy, a podcast host and a contributor to FOX News. In December of 2018, he helped release the PBS documentary “In Money We Trust?.”

In 1996 and 2000, Mr. Forbes ran for the Republican presidential nomination on a platform centered around support for a flat tax. Despite falling short both times, he remained heavily involved in politics, serving on the campaigns of former New York City Mayor Rudy Giulani and late Arizona Senator John McCain in 2008.

YAF brought FOX News host Rachel Campos-Duffy and her husband, Sean, to speak at LFHS back in October. Giannelli and the other chapter leaders hope that as a more economically-minded speaker, Mr. Forbes will bring a different insight — but the same level of excitement.

Junior Nick Tegel, who attended Mrs. Campos-Duffy’s presentation, said, “The event back in October was a lot of fun and very welcoming, and I’m looking forward to seeing what Steve Forbes has to offer.”

Giannelli added that YAF helps take care of all of the logistics of bringing Mr. Forbes to the high school, so her main focus until then is promoting the event to the community.

“YAF wants to help their chapters bring the Conservative message to campus and to help their chapters grow. So, when it comes to events like hosting speakers they are very helpful… we just had to provide the venue,” she said. 

The presentation will be held on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:30 p.m. in the RMA.