Financial Literacy Month 2012 Student Essay Contest Winners
We were overwhelmed with how many creative, funny and interesting submissions we received on the topic of “how to teach kids about money.” You outdid yourselves and it showed! Thank you to everyone for your submissions.
Meet Our 2012 Winners!
1st Prize: Stephanie Cook
Stephanie suggested to have hands on learning for students through activities and discussion with teachers.
“I would like to propose we have a course on money budgeting with an online tool which allows a student to manage a day to day budget. This website will simulate and show students how to manage money properly. They will build a profile with options of income, housing, transportation and create a savings account.” - Stephanie Cook
2nd Prize: Trenton Sewell
Trenton's essay suggested an interactive video game that would engage students in learning about money concepts.
“My video game would mimic the way money is used in real life. When you start the game at Level 1 you are in your teens, having chores that get you your allowance. This should be the easiest part of the game, partly due to the fact that you cannot go into debt.” - Trenton Sewell
3rd Prize: RJ Guatlo
RJ thought that practical learning through hands-on activities that help students learn about savings, credit and debt would be best.
“An idea that I came up with to try to teach the kids about financial awareness is by having the kids manage their own “money” in school… The way kids would earn these points would be by doing things like completing their homework and handing it in on time, arriving to school on time, getting a certain mark on a test, answering a question right, or just by having good behaviour.” - RJ Guatlo
Congratulations to all of you!
It was really hard to choose only 3 winners, so after 5 rounds of reviewing entries, we’d also like to recognize some honorable mentions:
“Make the right decisions, today and tomorrow for it will give you benefits later on, choose wisely about what you wish to do, think, and keep your money skills strong.” – Taylor, Edmonton, AB
“I myself have four jars for rainy day money, needs, wants and college.” – Katy, Calgary, AB
“Parents can give an allowance. I learned to consider carefully the purchases I made using my saved allowance. A girl down the street was selling brownies for one dollar. I bought one. The brownie was stale! My money was wasted. I learned that spending money does not always bring pleasure.” – Isabella, Port Moody, BC
“Take a penny, nickel and dime, place them all in a line, next a quarter, and a loonie, then the biggest, it’s a toonie!” – Brenna, Toronto, ON
Thank You!
A big thank you not only goes out to everyone who entered the contest, but to some amazing teachers who actually made writing an essay entry an assignment. Thank you for getting your students thinking and talking about how to make smart choices with their money and to start planning financially for their post secondary years!
Related article: Tips to Teach Your Kids About Smart Money Management
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Picture Highlights:
1st Place: (L to R) Mark Barrett (Teacher), Cindy Chan Piper (Board Member, Credit Counselling Society), Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy (Director of Education, Credit Counselling Society), Stephanie Cook, Melanie Cook (Mom), Dave Cook (Dad), Scott Hannah (President, Credit Counselling Society)
2nd Place: (L to R) Scott Hannah (President, Credit Counselling Society), Joyce Fordyce (Mom), Trenton Sewell, Cindy Chan Piper (Board Member, Credit Counselling Society), Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy (Director of Education, Credit Counselling Society)
3rd Place: (L to R) Kal Gill (Principal), George Tylor (Teacher), RJ Guatlo, Scott Hannah (President, Credit Counselling Society), Cindy Chan Piper (Board Member, Credit Counselling Society), Stacy Yanchuk Oleksy (Director of Education, Credit Counselling Society)