The contest is open to all Florida residents between the ages of 14 and 18.

Students must submit at least a 1,000-word typed essay in English or Spanish in response to the contest question. 

Awards will be given to winning entries submitted by youth. To help ensure youth are submitting essays, the essays must be submitted through a teacher or parent/guardian. 

Prizes will be awarded to the top three winning essays in each of the five regions based on a scale of $750 for first place, $500 for second place and $250 for third place, for a total of $7,500 in prizes.
 

Region 1
Escambia, Santa Rosa, Okaloosa, Walton, Holmes, Washington, Bay, Jackson, Calhoun, Gulf, Liberty, Franklin Gadsden, Leon, Wakulla, Jefferson

Region 2
Madison, Taylor, Hamilton, Suwannee, Lafayette, Dixie, Columbia, Gilchrist, Levy, Baker, Union, Bradford, Alachua, Nassau, Duval, Clay

Region 3
Hernando, Pasco, Pinellas, Hillsborough, Manatee, Hardee, Highlands, Desoto, Sarasota, Charlotte, Lee, Collier

Region 4
St. Johns, Putnam, Flagler, Marion, Citrus, Sumter, Lake, Volusia, Seminole, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Brevard, Indian River

Region 5
Okeechobee, St. Lucie, Martin, Glades, Hendry, Palm Beach, Broward, Dade, Monroe

If entries are not received from a region, then a prize will not be awarded in that region.
 

The contest begins September 12, 2005, and ends on January 27, 2006.

APPLICATION FORM - CLICK HERE

Entries must be submitted in one of the following ways:

Electronically to financialeducation@fldfs.com

Faxed in care of Tami Torres at Essay Contest to (850) 413-4993.

Mailed to:
Essay Contest
c/o Tami Torres, Communications Office
Office of Chief Financial Officer
Florida Department of Financial Services
200 East Gaines Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399-0302

Entries must be received by January 27, 2006, before 5 p.m. EST.
Entries received after this date will not be reviewed.

Announcements of the winners will be announced in early April to coincide with Financial Literacy for Youth month. Checks will be presented or mailed to the winners no later than May 1. There are no conditions for the use of the award.
A press release will announce the names of all winners. Materials submitted by the students become the property of the Florida Department of Financial Services and may be used in all educational and informational initiatives hosted by the department.