News : Money Smart Kid Essay Contest Offers Students a Chance to Win $1,000

Students in grades seven through 11 can now enter the 13th annual Money Smart Kid Essay Contest and compete for the chance to win $1,000 to help boost their college savings. The statewide essay contest is sponsored by the Iowa Bankers Association. Eligible students can enter the contest by writing an essay of 400 words or fewer, addressing the following: “Many American families experience income volatility over the course of a year. Please explain what the phrase ‘income volatility’ means, why a family may experience it, who in our communities are prone to experience ‘income volatility’, and approximately how many Americans experience it every year. Please offer ways that a family could prepare for a sudden change in income. Please also discuss what you think could be done to help alleviate this situation.” Essays are due by March 1, 2019, and interested students can download the application here. The student with the winning essay will be selected as Iowa’s Money Smart Kid for 2019 and receive $1,000 toward his or her savings funded by the Iowa Bankers Association. An additional nine finalists will also receive money for their college savings – four at $500 each and five at $300 each. The Money Smart Kid will serve as an ambassador during Money Smart Week Iowa, which will be March 30 – April 6 in several communities across the state. For more information about the Money Smart Kid Essay Contest, visit the website or email ibamarketing@iowabankers.com. About Money Smart Week Money Smart Week Iowa 2019 is an economic outreach program from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Throughout Money Smart Week, community groups, financial institutions, government agencies, educational organizations and financial experts from across the state host dozens of free educational events to help Iowans of all ages learn to better manage their personal finances. More than 200 partnering organizations currently participate in Money Smart Week. If your organization is interested in participating, contact Joanne Kuster atjoanne@kusterltd.com.