Thabo Abbate
Coral Springs, FL
Junior, J.P. Taravella High School
Thabo Abbate is a National Honor Society student at J.P. Taravella High School, a school recently recognized by Newsweek magazine as one of the top high schools in the nation.
Thabo was surprised with the announcement that he was a regional winner of the 2008 National Financial Literacy Challenge Scholarship Awards at a special breakfast hosted by school principal Shawn Cerra and his financial planning teacher, Susan Lathbury, right before he left for a summer trip to Europe.
When he was a freshman, Thabo enrolled in his high school’s Academy of Finance, an elite program where students learn the basics of financial technology, business operations, accounting and financial planning. He is a member of Delta Epsilon Chi (DECA), an association of students studying business, marketing, finance and hospitality, and has competed at both district and state levels.
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Nicholas Bruno
Richmond, TX
Junior, homeschooled
Nicholas Bruno is described by family and friends as hard-working, diligent and the kind of young man who really enjoys helping others. He is a junior coach at debate camp, where he helps younger children learn about extemporaneous speaking. He was a member of his church choir, and he also enjoys playing the trombone.
In addition to excelling in the 2008 National Financial Literacy Challenge, Nicholas has received a number of awards for debate and qualified for a national tournament in the category of extemporaneous speaking. He works in his family’s publishing business—typesetting books, proofreading, scanning, creating print advertisements and flyers, and handling orders.
Nicholas, 18, has assisted with homeschool conferences for five years. A member of the National Home School Honor Society, he eventually hopes to pursue a career in law, economics or journalism. Nicholas attributes his knowledge of personal finance to his father and his mother, who encouraged him to take the Challenge after receiving a letter about it from the Home School Legal Defense Association.
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Justin Fager
Wauseon, OH
Junior, Wauseon High School
Justin Fager learned about personal finance from his father, who passed away earlier this year after a five-year battle with cancer. Justin, 17, learned the importance of the sound financial plan developed by his parents that would assure the family’s financial security after his father passed away. His personal finance teacher, Brad Meyers, suggested to Justin that he take the National Financial Literacy Challenge.
Justin is described by friends and family as compassionate, responsible, mature, hard- working and considerate. One of Justin’s proudest moments was rising through the ranks of FFA (formerly called the Future Farmers of America) to become Wauseon chapter president last April. Justin is passionate about farming and the agricultural industry and has received many awards in that area. He is also involved in his church group, LifeTeen; the American Cancer organization Relay for Life; the 4-H Club; and is a member of the National Honor Society.
Justin enjoys NASCAR (#48, Jimmie Johnson, is his favorite), working outside in his shop and the film National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
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Jennifer Fisher
Eureka, MO
Senior, Eureka High School
Jennifer Fisher is both a scholar and a philanthropist. A student with a passion for community service, Jennifer has been involved in the program Reaching Out to Others Through Service (ROOTS), where she has cleaned local parks and volunteered at a local nursing home. She has also volunteered as a cadet teacher for a group of second graders, a step toward her career goal of teaching second grade.
Jennifer, 18, recently graduated in the top ten percent of her class, with an impressive grade point average of over 4.0 thanks to her success in AP courses. A member of the French Honors Society, she enjoyed a trip to France last summer with classmates.
Described by her friends as loyal, fun and genuine, Jennifer served as a member of her school’s Student Council for four years. In her free time, she loves to read novels by Jodi Picoult, listen to all types of music and watch her favorite television show, One Tree Hill.
Jennifer took the National Financial Literacy Challenge thanks to her personal finance teacher Diane Lucas, who guided her financial education. Her love for numbers and math stems from her mother, Cheri, an accounting clerk. Jennifer will be pursuing a degree in Elementary Education at University of Missouri, Columbia this fall.
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Tucker Johnson
Marion, MA
Senior, Old Rochester Regional High School
For his thirteenth birthday, Tucker Johnson requested a copy of The Intelligent Investor, his mother recalls. Described as “a true scholar,” Tucker was the 2008 Valedictorian at his high school, a National Merit Scholar and a member of the National Honor Society. In addition to his academic talents, he has a flair for drama. He has been involved in theater productions since junior high, and has had lead and supporting roles in several plays throughout his high school career. He also enjoys singing and performed in his high school chorus.
Tucker, 18, has a variety of interests including history, philosophy, finance, drama, strategy games and debate. He is a voracious reader and describes his book collection as the thing of which he is most proud. He plans to attend Middlebury College in Vermont in the fall.
Tucker was inspired to take the Challenge by his teacher, Erich Carroll, and his local Jr. Achievement chapter.
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Olivia Moran
Manassas, VA
Sophomore, Stonewall Jackson High School
The oldest of four children, Olivia Moran is the daughter of Maria Chipana Moran, a first-generation immigrant from Bolivia who came to the U.S. in 1990. Olivia's friends describe her as sweet, kind, hard-working and very caring of others. In fact, she spends a great deal of time helping her mother, a single parent, with her younger siblings, the youngest of whom is six. Olivia’s mother is very proud of her daughter for having held down a full-time job for four months this spring to help support their family.
In addition to being bilingual, Olivia is highly organized and has exceptional computer skills. She plans to go to college, and because she loves business and math she will consider majoring in accounting, business management or engineering. Her goal is to own her own business one day. Olivia, 16, hopes to attend George Mason University because it is close to home where she can keep an eye on her siblings and continue to help her mother.
Olivia’s interest in business began when she was a small child and would sit next to her father, fascinated, watching him write checks, use a calculator, and pay bills. Olivia’s formal education about personal finance was in the classroom of her teacher, Terri Fisher-Carson, who enrolled her class to take the National Financial Literacy Challenge. Olivia also credits her experience working full-time with teaching her the ins and outs of managing money.
Among Olivia’s favorite pastimes are dancing and shopping. She also enjoys watching horror movies and comedies. She says that being scared silly or laughing until she cries are equally appealing.
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Alex Oswalt
Sacramento, CA
Junior, Mira Loma High School
Variously described by friends and family as funny, generous, hard-working, determined dependable, and considerate, Alex Oswalt, 16, is a young man of varied interests. In addition to being an accomplished pianist and trombone-player, he enjoys mathematics, traveling, video-gaming (especially Super Smash Brothers), and watching science programs like NOVA. From the time he was 11 years old, Alex has performed community service by playing piano for the elderly residents of various assisted living facilities in the Sacramento area under the auspices of the Music Teachers Association of California—Sacramento County Branch.
Alex has achieved the distinction of being an Honor Roll student during his freshman, sophomore and junior years, and he has also won an award each year for outstanding performance in his high school band. In the MATHCOUNTS competition, which was then sponsored by the Raytheon Corp., Alex won the fourth place Individual Awards in the Northern California Chapter for both 2004 and 2005.
Alex attributes his knowledge of personal finance primarily to his mom, Grace, who helped him learn about the principles of investing by buying mutual funds and stocks within a custodial account. He also gives high marks to his economics teacher at Mira Loma, Chad Posner, who enrolled his class and inspired Alex to take the National Financial Literacy Challenge. Alex aspires to start his own business one day.
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Dennis Saneski
East Greenbush, NY
Senior, Columbia High School
Dennis Saneski is the type of young man who is just as comfortable working on a science project as he is watching Derek Jeter round the bases at Yankee Stadium. In addition to science and the New York Yankees, Dennis also enjoys video games (particularly Call of Duty), skiing and his dog, Buddy.
He is a member of the National Honor Society and participated in the Life Smarts Competition in Consumer Awareness, a program designed by the National Consumers League to test students on their awareness of personal finance, health, safety, the environment, technology, and consumer rights. Friends point to his sense of humor, calling him a class clown, while his family praises his self-confidence and multi-dimensional character.
Dennis, 17, plans to attend American University where he has received a partial scholarship. He plans to study business management, with a concentration in accounting/finance. He attributes his knowledge of personal finance to his Business Law teacher, Donna Shepardson, and to his own common sense.
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Dan Weyers
Stevens Point, WI
Senior, Stevens Point Area Senior High School
Dan Weyers didn’t just get a perfect score on the 2008 National Financial Literacy Challenge, but he also lives his life by the rules of smart money management. When Dan wanted a new video gaming system he saved a portion of his wages from his job at Copps Grocery Store, and he puts his money in CDs so his savings can earn more interest. In fact, according to his mom Beverly, Dan “usually only spends his money to take his girlfriend out to dinner and to fill up his gas tank.”
Dan’s family has always encouraged him to be frugal, along with his high school personal finance teacher, James Saddison, who signed him up for the Challenge. Dan also credits his financial savvy to the influence of his economics teacher, Wayne McCaffery.
An active Boy Scout since age seven, Dan recently became an Eagle Scout. He is regularly on the high school honor roll and is the recipient of a Presidential Educational Achievement Award. He plans to take classes in digital communications while attending the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse this fall. Dan believes that serving others is important. Among numerous community service projects, he has volunteered with Second Harvest Food Pantry as well as with Helping Other People Everywhere (HOPE), a student-run organization at Stevens Point Area Senior High School focused on raising humanitarian aid.
Dan, 18, enjoys reading, music, board games, biking and video games.
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Bret Wilkins
Colorado Springs, CO
Senior, Rampart High School
According to his teachers, Bret Wilkins has always shown an interest in and passion for business and finance. In addition to demonstrating an aptitude for business in the classroom, Bret was an active member of DECA, an international association of students studying marketing, management and entrepreneurship. He was a finalist in the E-Commerce DECA competition, where he was awarded a medal for top marks in the hotel and lodging management event, measuring his marketing and management skills and knowledge. Beyond his acumen in business, Bret is also very proud to be an Eagle Scout.
Bret’s other interests include the guitar, computer graphics and skiing. Newly graduated from Rampart High School, the 18-year-old hopes to attend Pikes Peak Community College this fall. After college, he plans to pursue a career as a high school business teacher.
Described as loyal, caring, smart, unique, friendly and funny, Bret taught himself about money management by reading books and observing his uncle. His teacher, Laura Keller, gave him the opportunity to take the National Financial Literacy Challenge.
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About the Challenge
The ten highest-performing students were selected from among ten geographic regions across the U.S. Winners will receive a $2,500 scholarship for use at the post-secondary institution of their choice. An additional $1,000 contribution in the winners’ name will be made to the schools or programs that provided their money management education.1
In addition to the scholarship, each winner and two of his or her guests received an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C. The trip included an awards banquet on June 17, official recognition at the June 18 meeting of the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, and special tours and activities.
In the case of a tie within any region, the winner for that region was selected by lottery from among all of the students tied for the best score in that region.
The Challenge questions were developed by the Office of Financial Education, Department of the U.S. Treasury, in consultation with four prominent academicians, the National Endowment for Financial Education, Junior Achievement USA, the National Council on Economic Education and The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.
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1 Eligible organizations must be located in the U.S. or one of its possessions and be recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code (under section 170) or a public pre-school through university educational institution. Educational organizations must be accredited by a nationally recognized regional or professional association to be eligible. The scholarship award grants for the winners of the National Financial Literacy Challenge will be disbursed to the winners' respective post-secondary educational institution. Winners will be required to present proof of their admission to or enrollment in their post-secondary educational institution. (0608-5319)
