Kansas Insurance Department awards scholarships to finalists of financial literacy essay contest
News release from the Kansas Insurance Department, May 23, 2023 – see the original release here
Topeka, Kan. – Kansas Insurance Commissioner Vicki Schmidt, today, announced the overall winner of the financial literacy essay contest sponsored by the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner, a division of the Kansas Insurance Department, and three partnering organizations.
Earlier this year, the Department granted $10,000 each to three partnering organizations for a financial literacy essay contest. Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas, Junior Achievement of Kansas, and the Kansas Council for Economic Education each entered a selection of essays from Kansas students who participated in their financial literacy programs offered in over 200 high schools across the state. The students with the top three essays from each organization were awarded a share of $10,000 in scholarships. The first-place essay from each organization then advanced to compete for an overall contest winner, and a share of an additional $10,000.
The contest finalists and their awards are:
1st Place, $5000 – Ashley Vianey Garcia Alarcon, (Kansas Council for Economic Education), Chaparral High School
2nd Place, $3000 – Karina Martinez, (Jobs for America’s Graduates Kansas), Kiowa County High School
3rd Place, $2,000 – Ella Foxhoven, (Junior Achievement of Kansas), Seaman High School
“The students that participated in this contest demonstrated an understanding and an eagerness to learn about financial literacy topics like investing and evaluating risk,” Schmidt said. “Congratulations to all the winners this year, and I encourage them to apply their financial knowledge as they further their education.”
The winning students receive their scholarships in addition to the $5,000 scholarship they won in the first round of the contest. The students receive the award money in the form of a 529 savings account to use for the advancement of their education.
Previously announced winners from each participating organization can be found online at insurance.kansas.gov/news. For more information about the Kansas Insurance Department or to learn more about making smart investment decisions, visit insurance.kansas.gov and SmartInvestKS.com.