Category: Contests

Contests

Money Smart Kid Essays Due March 16

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Each year, during Money Smart Week (MSW), the Iowa Bankers Association sponsors the Money Smart Kid Essay contest in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Essays for the 2018 Money Smart Kid Essay Contest are due Friday, March 16, 2018.

Students who participate in the contest are asked to answer a financial question and relate it back to their life. This year’s, students are asked to address the following:

Please write a brief newspaper article describing the potential devastating effects of a natural disaster (fire, flood, hurricane, etc.) on a family’s financial situation. Please select only one type of natural disaster for the focus of your article. Be sure to  include tips and resources for readers to help prepare them for a potential future unexpected crisis.

One student will be named this year’s Money Smart Kid and will receive $1,000 to put toward their college education. To participate, students must be in grades 7-11 and must reside the Money Smart Week Iowa or Quad City region.

To learn more about the MSW essay contest and to download the application, click here.

Contests

GeoCache for College Cash Winner

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Caleb_MoneySmartGeoCacheWinner2016Caleb Anderson from Luther College was the winner of a $1000 prize to go directly toward tuition (sponsored by Iowa Jump$tart Coalition)!  Congratulations!

“GeoCache for College Cash” is a Money Smart Week Iowa program that takes place at several college campuses across the state of Iowa in April.  About 1,000 students played on Iowa college campuses during the 2016 Money Smart Week.  The contest consists of seven posters, each focused on one personal finance topic and each displaying a unique QR code. Students read the posters, use a smart phone/tablet to scan the QR codes, and access quiz questions (multiple-choice). Answers are recorded for each player, logged via a player provided email.

Contests, Financial Literacy Tools, Helpful Information, Uncategorized

Help families save for college and win $529 for your school

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529logoIf you are an elementary teacher or principal, you play a vital role in helping  young children grow – and now you can help their families grow their college savings. This spring, the State Treasurer’s Office is offering  a new 529 college savings tutorial, College Savings Iowa InFocus. This short, interactive learning experience allows parents, grandparents and others to explore the numerous benefits of using a 529 plan to start saving for a loved one’s future.

Each person who completes the 10-minute tutorial will be registered to win a $1,000 College Savings Iowa account for a loved one. For helping spread the word, two participating elementary schools across Iowa will be selected to win $529 for their school. In order to enter the school giveaway, simply request that your families include your school name and city upon their registration for the tutorial.*

This opportunity will be open to elementary schools across the state starting on April 1, during Financial Literacy Month, and wrapping on May 31, in celebration of 529 Day.

For more information about the program and to request materials, please sign up at IowaTreasurer.gov no later than Tuesday, March 15. Please email Amanda Shetler (Amanda.Shetler@iowa.gov) with any questions.**

For more information about College Savings Iowa, visit CollegeSavingsIowa.com.

*At least five parents/guardians of a school must properly register for and complete the tutorial in order for that school to be considered eligible for the random drawing.

**School information will not be shared with third party organizations.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 888-672-9116 or visit collegesavingsiowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing.

Contests, Upcoming Events

Team up to win the Finance Challenge!

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The Iowa Finance Challenge is a new online financial literacy program available for middle and high school students. This online competition includes 30 questions for students to test their knowledge on income and money management, spending and credit, and savings and investing. Students compete in teams of three or four in the challenge, and test individually to measure the knowledge they have gained.

In addition to providing students with a fun and engaging way to build their financial literacy knowledge, the challenge offers students the chance to win cash prizes. Prizes will be awarded in April during Money Smart Week to the first, second and third place winning teams. The first place team will receive $25 per team member, the second place team will receive $15 per team member, and the third place team will receive $10 per team member. Every team that participates also is registered for a drawing for a $100 gift card.

Teachers interested in having students participate in the challenge can contact Erica Vonk of the Iowa Center for Economic Education at Dordt College at 712-722-6341 or Erica.Vonk@Dordt.edu. The challenge is being facilitated and managed by the Iowa Center for Economic Education at Dordt College, and made possible through a joint sponsorship by the Iowa Jump$tart Coalition and Wells Fargo.

Visit their website at http://financechallenge.unl.edu and click on Iowa.

Contests

Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge 2015

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As many of you know, registration for the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge for Iowa high schools ended Jan. 31, 2015. This challenge was presented by Iowa Student Loan. More info about the contest can be found here.

There were 32 schools that completed all three steps of the registration process to be entered into the drawing. The auditor has completed the drawing and I have a list of the 30 winning schools.

Please check out the winners here.

In the next couple of weeks, a plaque and award check will also be sent to winning schools. A certificate of participation will be sent to those schools that were not selected. A press release will be sent early March announcing the winners.

Congratulating to winners and participating schools!

Official Press Release

Contests

Financial Literacy Blog Contest

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Iowa Financial Literacy Program Blog Contest

Help your students kick off the second half of the year by entering for a chance to become Iowa Financial Literacy Program’s Student of the Month!  One student will be selected each month and win a $50 prize!

Iowa College Student Aid Commission and EverFi are encouraging students across Iowa to speak up and share their stories about how financial education has and will impact their lives by launching the Iowa Financial Literacy Program Blog Contest. Encourage your students to tap into their creativity and get involved for a chance to win. The contest is open to all students who have completed the Iowa Financial Literacy Program this school year, with one winner chosen monthly from February through May. To view additional contest details, including submission information, rules and guidelines, click here.

Haven’t started the Iowa Financial Literacy Program yet?

No worries, this is a great time to dive in!  The lessons are engaging and fun, while using technology to teach today’s digital generation.  After a short 15 minute training, you are ready to start the course with your classes.  It only takes a few hours to complete, is a great supplement to existing curriculum, and can be implemented in a variety of ways. To learn more about the Iowa Financial Literacy Program (powered by EverFi), watch this 3-minute video and let me know when you’re ready for registration information.  The program is available at no cost to you thanks to the investment of Iowa College Aid and local community sponsors.

Contests, Financial Literacy Tools

Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge Kicks Off, Giving Participating High Schools Chance to Win $1,000

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A partnership of educational organizations is providing an incentive for Iowa high schools to assess their students’ financial understanding. Schools have a chance at a cash prize by participating in the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge between now and Jan. 31, 2015. Iowa Student Loan® — in partnership with the Iowa Department of Education, the Iowa Jump$tart Coalition, Junior Achievement of Central Iowa and the Iowa College Access Network — is sponsoring the challenge and providing a chance for schools to win $1,000 for their participation. Teachers who take part in the challenge can also cater activities to satisfy financial literacy requirements for the Iowa Core 21st Century Skills.

The challenge is intended to reward Iowa high school educators who promote critical financial literacy skills by using two online financial literacy tutorials in classrooms. High schools that register and have students experience Student Loan Game PlanSM and ROCI Reality Check by Jan. 31willbe entered in a drawing for a chance to win one of 30 cash prizes.

Click here to learn more. Or click here to enter.