Contests, News/Accolades

2023 Personal Finance and Economics Challenges

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The Personal Finance Challenge is available to middle and high school students. The competition tests students’ knowledge on income, money management, spending, credit, saving and investing. 

The top 4 teams in each region will be invited to the State Finals on April 12, 2023. Prizes available! 

Personal Finance Challenge – https://financechallenge.unl.edu/Iowa

The Economics Challenge is an opportunity for middle and high school students to demonstrate their knowledge of economics by competing in this FREE program with other students across the state in written and “Quiz Bowl” examinations.

The top 10 high school teams in each division will be invited to participate in the State Finals on April 19, 2023. Prizes available!

Economics Challenge – https://financechallenge.unl.edu/Iowa

News/Accolades

2022 Personal Finance Challenge: Results Are In

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North Polk High School 2nd Place
Waverly-Shell Rock High School 2nd Place
Clarinda High School 1st Place

Thanks to all who participated in the Personal Finance Challenge!! We had a great turnout with 797 students participating in the online portion. 16 Teams totaling 64 students qualified for state finals and 11 of those teams competed at state finals on April 22nd at Drake University.

  • 1st Place is Clarinda High School – CHS1
    • Teacher: Linda Vanden Bosch
    • Kalen Downey
    • Jason Wright
    • Arin Eberly
    • Lance Regehr
  • 2nd Place is North Polk High School – Comets2
    • Teacher: Danielle Wolfe
    • Ethan Stierman
    • Austin Stierman
    • Javier Franco
    • Spencer Markley
  • 2nd Place is also Waverly-Shell Rock High School
    • Teacher: Ken Borrow
    • Jacque Schneider
    • Andrew Cummer
    • Jack Renn
    • Shay Doyle

This wouldn’t be possible without our volunteers and sponsors: Iowa Insurance Division, Iowa College Access Network, Iowa Student College Aid Commission, TS Bank, TS Institute, ISL Education Lending, Teacher Wealth, Iowa Jump$tart Coalition, and Harkin Institute.

Volunteers and Sponsors with 1st Place Winners
Upcoming Events

2022 Iowa Jump$tart Personal Financial Literacy Conference

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Personal Financial Literacy Conference
Collaboration – Resources – Tools
for Iowa classrooms teaching
Financial Literacy

Join us on June 23rd at Bondurant-Farrar High School for our annual conference where Iowa teachers can share and learn about the newest information in financial literacy for students. This opportunity is free to any registered attendee. You are also offered a free lunch and a chance to win free airfare and registration to the National Jumpstart Educator Conference where you will get even MORE information about financial literacy for the classroom! Please visit our conference homepage for more information.

News/Accolades

2022 Econ Challenge: Results Are In

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Thanks to all who participated in the Econ Challenge!! We had a great turnout with 181 students participating in the online portion and 19 teams competing in the online state finals on April 21st.

Adam Smith division was for students enrolled in any two semester econ macro and micro course sequence or any course labeled as AP, IB, honors, or differentiated. Final results are:

  • 1st Place is Iowa City West High School – Bank 182
    • Peter B.
    • Kyle C.
    • Anish L.
    • Nate W.
  • 2nd Place is Iowa City West High School – Tom Petty & The Wage Takers
    • Aidan O.
    • Khalid A.
    • Nikolas S.
    • Catherine Y.

David Ricard division was for students new to Economics. It is restricted to students enrolled in a one-semester or less high school course not labeled as AP, IB, honors, differentiated, or college level. Final results are:

  • 1st Place is Iowa City West High School – Cardinals
    • Peter A.
    • Rosemary T.
    • Jumana A.
    • Augustin H.
  • 2nd Place is Iowa City West High School – Falcons
    • Helenipa S.
    • Sila D.
    • Leo W.
News/Accolades

CBI MONEY SMART WEEK POSTER CONTEST BACK AGAIN IN 2022

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Community Bankers of Iowa (CBI) is once again sponsoring the CBI Money Smart
Week Poster Contest to motivate elementary school students to learn about finances. Money Smart Week was designed by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago as part of a financial literacy public awareness campaign. Events were cancelled in 2020 and held virtually in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While Money Smart
Week has returned for 2022 once again in an all-virtual format, CBI’s annual Poster Contest is one of the few hands-on activities still being featured in Iowa during Virtual Money Smart Week this year.

To enter the Poster Contest, elementary students in 2nd through 6th grades can submit poster designs to participating community banks in Iowa, with imagery answering the question: “Why is it important to know about money?”. For showing Iowa’s community bankers what they know, students have the chance to win either a $600 Certificate of Deposit (1st Prize), or a $300 Certificate of Deposit (2nd & 3rd Prizes).

Participating elementary students should submit their poster designs to participating community bank branches throughout Iowa by April 8, 2022. Posters will be displayed in the banks throughout Virtual Money Smart Week (April 9-16, 2022). Contest winners will be chosen and notified by May 4, 2022, and announced to the public by May 6. Complete rules & submission guidelines are available at www.cbiaonline.org. Contact the CBI office at 515-453-1495 or klee@cbiaonline.org for assistance in locating a participating community bank near you.

Throughout Virtual Money Smart Week, participating community groups, financial institutions, government agencies, educational organizations, and financial experts will host free educational events to help Iowans of all ages learn to better manage their personal finances. More information about Virtual Money Smart Week – including a full calendar of events – is available at www.moneysmartweek.org.

News/Accolades

2022 Iowa Economics Challenge

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This challenge is an opportunity for middle and high school students to demonstrate their knowledge of economics by competing in this FREE program with other students across the state in written and “Quiz Bowl” examinations.

Students in Iowa begin the challenge by participating in a preliminary first round of the Challenge online.

In the first round, each team of 3-4 students in three divisions will complete online exams covering topics in macro, micro and international economics. 

The top 10 high school teams in each division will be invited to participate in the State Finals on April 21, 2022. Prizes available!

REGISTER NOW – https://econchallenge.unl.edu/Iowa/Welcome

News/Accolades

Iowa Insurance Division Announces Participation in the EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee to Support Youth Financial Education

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The Iowa Insurance Division is sponsoring the EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee, taking place April 1-15, 2021. The EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee is a nationwide financial literacy challenge for high school students.

The EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee provides an opportunity for students to learn the critical importance of saving and budgeting for short-term and long-term financial goals.

The virtual challenge, created by EVERFI, and supported by leading financial institutions nationwide, features four short digital lessons followed by a capstone essay contest in which students share a short-term or long-term savings goal and outline their plan to achieve that goal.  Winners of the EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee will receive a total of $20,000 in college scholarships.  In addition, the top three essays from students in Iowa will be awarded visa e-gift cards of $200, $100 and $50 respectively to help them reach the savings goal they wrote about in the essay.

To learn more about the EVERFI Financial Literacy Bee, visit https://iid-iowa.everfi-next.net/welcome/national-financial-bee-2021.

News/Accolades

Iowa Personal Finance Challenge

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This FREE online financial literacy program is available to middle and high school students. The competition tests students’ knowledge on income, money management, spending, credit, saving and investing. 

The top 4 teams in each region will be invited to the virtual State Finals on April 23, 2021.

Student prizes will be awarded by region in addition to a teacher drawing for one $100 cash prize! 

Register online here: https://financechallenge.unl.edu/Iowa?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

This Challenge is sponsored by College Savings Iowa, The Council for Economic Education, Iowa JumpStart Coalition, The TS Institute, and the Dordt Center for Economic Education.

News/Accolades

Iowa Economics Challenge Registration Open

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The Iowa Economics Challenge is an opportunity for students to demonstrate their knowledge of economics by competing in this FREE program with other students across the state in written and “Quiz Bowl” examinations.

Students in Iowa begin the challenge by participating in a preliminary first round of the Challenge online.

In the first round, each team of 3-4 students in three divisions will complete online exams covering topics in macro, micro and international economics. 

The top 10 high school teams in each division will be invited to participate in the virtual State Finals on April 30, 2021. 

State prizes available for each division!  Register here: https://econchallenge.unl.edu/Iowa?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery

The Challenge is sponsored by College Savings Iowa, The Council for Economic Education, Iowa JumpStart Coalition, and the Dordt Center for Economic Education.