9-year-old Zoë Madison Orndorff, 11-year-old Andrew Elus & 12-year-old Jalonie Lue Shue among 10 national winners for OneUnited Bank’s annual competition.
OneUnited Bank, a leading Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) and the nation’s largest Black owned bank, has named Miami-Dade students Zoë Madison Orndorff, 9, Andrew Elus, 11, and Jalonie Lue Shue, 12, among 10 national winners of the 15th annual “I Got Bank! Youth Financial Literacy Essay & Art Contest.” All three will receive a $1,000 OneUnited Bank savings account. Their extraordinary essays depicting the importance of financial literacy and savings impressed the judges which included Teri Williams, the bank’s President & Chief Operating Officer, and Sherri Brewer, the bank’s Senior Vice President, Chief Retail Officer.
“In 2025, we saw growth in children’s understanding of money, including the cost of food and other necessities,” stated President Terry Williams in a press release. “They expressed a desire to help their families, which may reflect the current economy. We are proud to ignite family conversations about money, which will improve their financial wellbeing.” Williams wrote the book “I Got Bank! What My Grandad Taught Me About Money” (Beckham), after discovering the lack of focus on educating urban youth about financial literacy.
Fellow national winners are Jasmine Curd, 12, Blue Springs, MO, Rusty Fisher, 12, Apple Valley, CA, Jai Irby, 12, Boston, MA, Brandon Littlejohn, 12, Newnan, GA, Zoë Madison Orndorff, 9, Homestead, FL, Arfa Mohamed, 8, Rocklin, CA, Alanna Oguadimma, 9, Milton, MA and Jacob Phillips, 8, Missouri City, TX. Each winner expressed ways their financial literacy journey will help them and their families.
The “I Got Bank!” youth essay & art contest is part of a larger OneUnited Bank initiative to make financial literacy a core value in America.
This is a Hy-Lo News Staff Report.
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