Media Advisory: Creating fiscal phenoms – teens to compete in financial literacy challenge

By Matthew Biddle

What: Nearly 700 high school students from across Western New York are banking on their financial knowledge as they compete in MoneySKILL® Mania, an in-school financial literacy competition sponsored by the University at Buffalo School of Management and M&T Bank.

For the seventh annual MoneySKILL Mania competition, a record 695 students from 21 area high schools will be quizzed on a range of financial topics, including income, budgeting, mortgages, stocks, bonds, bankruptcy, interest and credit. The highest-scoring student from all schools will receive an Apple iPad, while the second- and third-highest scoring students will win $250. The top scoring student at each participating school will receive a $50 Amazon gift card.

Why: According to the Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, teenagers consistently perform poorly on financial literacy tests. The competition aims to increase awareness of MoneySKILL, a free online personal finance course offered by the American Financial Services Association Education Foundation. More than 300 area teachers are registered to use MoneySKILL.

Where: While the competition takes place over several weeks at individual schools, media are invited to see MoneySKILL Mania in action at John F. Kennedy High School, 305 Cayuga Creek Road in Cheektowaga.

When: 11 a.m. to noon on April 2 (detailed schedule below).

Who: Media can talk with students in JFK’s Personal Financial Planning class and capture photos and b-roll footage as they play MoneySKILL Mania. Kathy Hochul, vice president of government relations at M&T Bank Group; Cynthia Shore, senior assistant dean and director of alumni and external relations at the UB School of Management; and Kevin Kazmierczak, principal of JFK High School, will be present to speak. Tony Krupski, business teacher at JFK, and Caitlin McNulty, assistant director of alumni and external relations at the UB School of Management, will facilitate the competition.

Details and Photo Opportunities:

• Upon arrival, check in at the main office just off the front door, and you will be directed to the classroom.
• 11:10 – 11:20    Remarks from Hochul, Shore and Kazmierczak.
• 11:20 – 11:30    Pop quiz on financial knowledge with prizes for students.
• 11:30 – 11:55    MoneySKILL Mania competition.

The UB School of Management is recognized for its emphasis on real-world learning, community and economic impact, and the global perspective of its faculty, students and alumni. The school has been ranked by Bloomberg Businessweek, the Financial Times, Forbes, U.S. News & World Report and The Wall Street Journal for the quality of its programs and the return on investment it provides its graduates. For more information about the UB School of Management, visit mgt.buffalo.edu.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB’s more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.