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The expanded fourth year of the Money$peak Competition, presented by the Mercadien Foundation and 91����, with participating teams from Bordentown Regional, Colts Neck, Hopewell Valley, Jackson Liberty, Lawrence, Montgomery, New Egypt, Rancocas Valley Regional, Seneca, Steinert, and West Windsor Plainsboro North high schools kicked off to a crowd of cheering fans on Wednesday, May 23. To make it to the final competition, teams first competed in their district high schools before making their way to the Money$peak Final Competition. In total, nearly 80 teams representing over 400 students competed this spring to get to the 10 final teams, each representing a district at the Money$peak Competition at 91����.

The Money$peak Competition was made possible through the generous support from the Mercadien Group, New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group, 91����, Fulton Bank, and the Investors Foundation.

The challenge: Create a short, three- to five-minute, original presentation on a specific topic from the required high school personal finance course and present to a panel of high-profile judges from the finance profession. Teams of two- to- six students used the important information learned in the classroom to create presentations ranging from slide presentations to videos and songs to creatively express their personal finance lessons to judges and audience members on stage at 91����’s Bart Luedeke Center Theater.

When the New Jersey Department of Education implemented the half-year personal finance course requirement for high school graduation, students in New Jersey got the opportunity to take big steps toward a lifetime of financial wellness. From this starting point, the Mercadien Foundation seeks to encourage students’ forward momentum to insure every student has a solid understanding of the basics of personal finance when they leave high school and enter college and careers. Money$peak allows students to dive deeper into their education by making their own presentations, taking the knowledge they’ve gained and creating their own innovative material. “With Money$peak, we’re helping to build a proactive generation of young adults who take charge of their financial future and excel in their chosen fields,” says Christopher Seiz, executive director of the Mercadien Foundation.

Expert judges assessed teams on content, clarity, creativity, and performance. The judging panel included professionals from the financial field, including Mark Charbonneau, vice president, Commercial Relationship Manager, Fulton Bank of New Jersey; Patricia Hartpence, assistant vice president of Corporate Giving, New Jersey Manufacturers Insurance Group; Ken Kamen, president, Mercadien Asset Management; Dr, Cynthia Newman, dean of the College of Business Administration; and Darren Stewart, business advocate, Mercer County Office of Economic Development and Sustainability

Following presentations and scoring, trophies and awards were presented to the top five teams:

First Place: “MK Productions,” presenting on credit cards and debt, from West Windsor-Plainsboro High School North, advised by teacher Albert Paulsson. Team members: McKenna Carpenter and Kyra Musmanno. $1,500 team award, $1,000 school grant for personal finance education.

Second Place: “Team Scotties,” presenting on career and earnings, from Bordentown Regional High School, advised by teacher Kara Lynch. Team members: Thomas Hendrickson and Jaspreet Singh. $1,000 team award, $750 school grant for personal finance education.

Third Place: “RV FBLA,” presenting on career and earnings, from Rancocas Valley Regional High School, advised by teachers Carolee Gray. Team members: Kiah Champion, Grace Ann Clothier, and Harleen Gill. $500 team award, $500 school grant for personal finance education.

Honorable Mention: “Fresh Friends of Credit,” presenting on credit cards and debt, from Colts Neck High School, advised by teacher Robin Soriano. Team members: Alexandra Bell, Elizabeth Borao, Mandy Pelenski, Nicole Policastro, Jeremy Rund, and Zachary Schubert. $250 team award, $250 school grant for personal finance education.

Honorable Mention: “Conscious Credit Cast,” presenting on credit cards and debt, from Jackson Liberty High School, advised by teacher Arlene Wacha. Team members: Shannon Conroy, Ryan Drew, and Julianna Martin. $250 team award, $250 school grant for personal finance education.

Albert Paulsson, teacher at West Windsor Plainsboro High School North says, “The classroom has always provided valuable learning experiences for students. The Money$peak competition takes this learning to another level by affording students the opportunity to combine lessons learned in the classroom with themes that prepare them for life.  The students in my Economics course truly enjoyed the Money$peak program and developed many creative and informative presentations. It was certainly a thrill for Kyra and McKenna to represent our school and win the competition. The Money$peak program benefits every student that participates. Financial literacy is critical for making life's most important decisions and the MoneySpeak program helps prepare students to be informed and responsible when faced with those decisions. Thank you Mercadien and all those who generously gave their time to help make the event possible.”

Suzanne Brown, teacher at Hopewell Valley Central High School says, “Mercadien Foundation and the amazing sponsors have created an impressive event with the Money$peak program that allows students to apply the knowledge they've acquired throughout the year. It's special because it requires them to engage at a higher level to create powerful messages about personal finance issues to present to others. Money$peak is the perfect opportunity to encourage students to come out of their comfort zones to master "life skills" such as time management, doing thorough research, being concise, knowing your target audience, maintaining confidence, and hone critical presentation skills. Money$peak is a win-win for everyone involved.”

Within the next few weeks, student presentations will be available on the Money$peak website, , for use by educators as they teach these areas of personal finance, bridging the gaps in financial education and creating a central clearinghouse for education material distribution.