OneUnited Bank, the largest Black-owned bank in the U.S. and a nationally recognized Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), is continuing its mission to build generational wealth in Black and Brown communities. The bank just announced the launch of its 15th Annual “I Got Bank!” National Financial Literacy Contest — and this year, ten kids will each walk away with a $1,000 savings account.
The contest is open to children ages 8 to 12 and encourages them to take control of their financial futures early. Participants are asked to read a financial literacy book of their choice, then submit a 250-word essay or create an art project that shows how they would apply what they’ve learned in real life. Entries must be emailed or postmarked by June 30, 2025, and winners will be announced by August 31, 2025.
To help families get started, OneUnited Bank is offering a free download of its signature e-book, I Got Bank! What My Granddad Taught Me About Money, written by the bank’s president, Teri Williams. Williams said she was inspired to write the book after noticing a lack of financial education materials geared toward urban youth.
“We did a survey of previous I Got Bank participants and found that 100% of them found the experience valuable to extremely valuable, and 100% stated the experience increased their financial awareness,” said Williams. “We continue to advocate for financial literacy to be taught in K-12 schools across America!”
Last year’s winners came from across the country, including 10-year-old Alana Williams from Charlotte, NC, and 11-year-old Grant Booker from Gardenia, CA. The full list of 2024 winners includes:
- Alana Williams, 10, Charlotte, NC
- Dylan Prakash, 11, Duarte, CA
- Malia Spurlin, 12, Cerritos, CA
- Zora Rae Darby, 11, Baldwin, NY
- Serenity Earth, 12, Burlington, NJ
- Carter M. Lang, 8, Los Angeles, CA
- Laila Zellers, 10, Los Angeles, CA
- Grant Booker, 11, Gardenia, CA
- McKinley Sabrina Murphy, 10, Baldwin, NY
- Kali Baker, 10, Hawthorne, CA
Parents, educators, and community leaders are encouraged to get involved and help spread the word. For more information and official contest rules, visit www.oneunited.com/book.
This is a Hy-Lo News Staff Report.
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