April is Financial Literacy Month, a national initiative that brings attention to the importance of financial literacy and maintaining healthy financial habits throughout a person’s lifetime. As part of our celebration, Orion teamed up with Kate Bond Elementary to help raise awareness among students about the necessity of establishing good money management skills.  We hosted an essay contest for 5th graders, tasking them with answering the question, “What is a Budget?”

Kudos to all the students who participated and a big Thank You to Ms. Patton for all her help!  Please join us in congratulating the winners:

1st Place – Lisbeth Fernandez
2nd Place – Ta’Shaun Cooper
3rd Place – Kerigan Hill

Excerpts from the winning essays:

Having a budget means being responsible.  For instance, pay attention to how much money you have and how much money you want to spend.  You want to make sure you spend it on things you need.  It is important especially for kids.  Most kids only have their eye out for candy, games, and other things they want.

– Lisbeth Fernandez, 1st Place Winner

A budget is a strategy on how you spend your money and what you spend it on.  It’s very important to have/make a budget.  You need  a budget to save money, to pay important bills and dues and get what you want and need.  Budgets will keep you on task and will help you on rainy days from the money you saved.

–Ta-Shaun Cooper, 2nd Place Winner

A budget is a plan to use your money.  Individuals have to pay attention to how much money they spend when they are on a budget . . . . If you are on a budget you buy a lot more of what you need and a lot less of what you do not.  For example, you can get clothes, shoes, and food instead of candy, earrings, and electronics.

-Kerigan Hill, 3rd Place Winner