Kansas high school seniors have the opportunity to win one of fifteen scholarships, with the grand prize amount totaling $2500, to help cover the cost of tuition at a Kansas school of higher education by entering the Kansas Financial Scholars Essay Scholarship Contest. The contest is jointly sponsored by the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner (KSC) and the Office of the State Bank Commissioner (OSBC). Scholarships will be awarded in the amounts of $2500, $2000, $1500, $1000, $500, and ten $100 honorable mention awards to eligible seniors.

Students who choose to participate in the competition will be asked to write a two-part essay. The first section will be a 1-2 page profile about someone whose personal financial decisions have positively impacted the student’s or others’ lives. Then in a 3-6 page analysis, students should apply the lessons learned from that individual to their own financial plans.

To be eligible, students must be a Kansas public, private, or home-schooled high school senior planning to attend a Kansas technical school, college or university. They also must have enrolled in and completed at least one KSC or OSBC sponsored program (EverFi Financial Literacy, The Stock Market Game, or Life$marts) during their high school career. Successful completion of a sponsored course by May 3rd is required.

“Commissioner Schuster and I are very pleased to offer this opportunity for Kansas graduating seniors again this year,” said Securities Commissioner Josh Ney. “As was evident in the excellent essays we received last year, developing wise financial habits is influenced more than anything else by positive role models in our families or other close personal relationships. I look forward to reading this year’s entries.”

“We want to see our Kansas high school students enter the next stage of life with a strong financial foundation,” said Bank Commissioner Deryl Schuster. “The programs we support help students develop lifelong financial skills, and the scholarship contest provides the opportunity to share that knowledge and earn money for their higher education.”

Teachers, parents, or students may contact the KSC to sign up today for one of the free prerequisite programs by calling 913-652-9164 to speak with Shannon Stone, the Director of Investor Education for the KSC.

Essays will be accepted from Dec. 1, 2015 through April 1, 2016. To learn more about participating in the contest, visit ksc.ks.gov/scholarship, www.osbckansas.org, or send an email to Shannon.Stone@ksc.ks.gov.