Money Smart Essay Contest

We’re proud to share that the Money Smart Wisconsin Scholarship winners have been selected!

This program helps empower families to take meaningful steps toward education savings and financial confidence.

Thank you to everyone who participated—and congratulations to our winners!

A young woman sitting on rocks outdoors at sunset, smiling, wearing an orange top and light-colored jeans, with trees and a lamppost in the background. There is a banner at the bottom for a scholarship contest hosted by Brianna B. from Luxemburg-Casco High School, Luxemburg, WI.

A young woman with long reddish-brown hair, glasses, and a dark top smiling outdoors during sunset, with a blurred natural background.

A young man with blond hair and blue eyes smiling at the camera, outdoors with a blurred background of trees and rocks, wearing a blue shirt. Text overlay reads 'Money Smart Wisconsin Scholarship Contest' and 'Evan M. Johnson Creek High School, Johnson Creek, WI'.

A young man with blond hair smiling outdoors in front of a brick wall, wearing a beige hoodie, with a scholarship contest banner overlayed at the bottom of the image.

A young woman sitting in the grass outdoors with a backdrop of white hydrangea flowers, smiling at the camera. She is wearing a white and blue striped dress, holding a signed sign for a scholarship contest. The sun is shining brightly in the clear sky.

Young woman with long brown hair and a red tank top smiling outdoors with blurred greenery background.

A young woman with long brown hair smiling while riding a carousel horse at an amusement park. She is wearing a floral top and ripped jeans. The carousel has a giraffe figure and decorative lighting, with a background of greenery and park fencing.

A young man with blond hair and blue eyes wearing a white shirt and a black blazer standing against a white brick wall, with a window to his right, and a scholarship contest advertisement overlapping part of his waist.

A young man with blond hair, wearing a blue shirt, sitting outdoors on a gravel path in a park with green trees in the background, smiling at the camera. There is a banner with text about a scholarship contest and his name and school information at the bottom of the image.

A woman wearing a hijab standing on a bridge over a river in a city with tall buildings in the background, advertising a scholarship contest for Oak Creek High School in Wisconsin.

A young man with brown hair and a maroon shirt standing among tall grass at sunset, with a banner at the bottom reading 'Money Smart Wisconsin Scholarship Contest' and text indicating his name as Brody S. from Burlington High School, Burlington, WI.

A young woman in a blue dress standing outdoors near water, with trees and foliage around her, smiling at the camera.

A young male smiling in front of a brick wall, holding a sign that reads 'Money Smart Wisconsin Scholarship Contest'. The sign also includes his name, Ethan R., and his school, Appleton High School in Appleton, WI.

Map of Wisconsin with dots marking scholarship contest winners in Green Bay, Luxemburg, Appleton, New Lisbon, Greenwood, Mauston, Milton, Johnson Creek, Prairie du Sac, Janesville, Muskego, Burlington, Oak Creek, Waukesha, DeForest. Text indicates winners and congratulations message, with logos of EDVEST and Wisconsin Coalition on Student Debt at the bottom.

List of students from various Wisconsin high schools participating in the Money Smart Wisconsin Scholarship Contest. The list includes their names, high schools, and hometowns. The background has celebratory confetti and balloons, with the logos for EDVEST and the Wisconsin Coalition on Student Debt at the bottom.

Money Smart week is April 6-12, 2026

Win a College Scholarship

In celebration of Money Smart Wisconsin (April 6 - 12, 2026), the Wisconsin Coalition on Student Debt, along with its partner organizations, is excited to announce the 7th annual Money Smart 2026 Scholarship Contest. We invite Wisconsin's graduating high school seniors to participate by answering this year's Money Smart Question for a chance to win one of several $1,000 scholarships in the form of a contribution to a new or existing Edvest 529 college savings plan account.

How do you plan to be money smart and future ready?

Student loan debt in Wisconsin for students who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in 2025 averaged $32,619. About two-thirds of all college students take out loans to pay for their educational costs.

We are eager to learn about your plan to finance your college education. Through your essay, demonstrate your ability to think critically, plan realistically, and show how you are preparing for the financial responsibilities of college and beyond.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Direct all questions to: MoneySmart@debtsmarts.org
(Attn: Cheryl Rapp)
Winners’ names may be shared with their high school for recognition at award ceremonies
Award recipients will only be notified between April 6–21, 2026
All submitted essays become the property of the WI Coalition on Student Debt and may be used to promote financial literacy

All submissions must be received before midnight on March 6, 2026.

Thank you to our Money Smart Wisconsin 2026 Sponsors:

YEAR 2025 Money Smart Scholarship Winners

Fifteen Wisconsin high school seniors were awarded $1,000 each for their winning essays on how they plan to finance their college education and career training.

YEAR 2024 Money Smart Contest Winners

The scholarship recipients demonstrated thoughtful college planning and thinking about budgeting. Read more about it on the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions news release.