{"id":22094,"date":"2017-02-15T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2017-02-15T12:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/newsroom\/high-school-students-master-personal-finance-thanks-to-hr-block\/"},"modified":"2023-03-02T13:41:29","modified_gmt":"2023-03-02T19:41:29","slug":"high-school-students-master-personal-finance","status":"publish","type":"newsroom","link":"https:\/\/www.hrblock.com\/tax-center\/newsroom\/around-block\/our-purpose\/high-school-students-master-personal-finance\/","title":{"rendered":"High school students master personal finance thanks to H&R Block"},"content":{"rendered":"

Teens from Florida, Michigan and Texas take home $20,000 college scholarships from finance competition<\/h2>\n

Seventy-five percent of teens say learning more about money management is one of their top priorities<\/a> and the H&R Block Budget Challenge is helping teens do just that in classrooms nationwide. Through this program, thousands of teens are preparing for the financial trials of adult life, and this month H&R Block awarded $100,000 in scholarships to acknowledge the exemplary budgeting, saving and investing skills of five students from the fall 2016 Budget Challenge.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

Studies show money is one of the biggest stressors for Americans<\/a>, and many people don\u2019t feel confident managing their finances. The H&R Block Budget Challenge gives students the opportunity to learn with and compete against students from all 50 states for scholarships in a game-like environment. During the 10-week program, students pay bills, manage expenses, save money, invest in retirement and pay taxes as if they were recent college graduates.<\/p>\n

Alexa Brutus and Trey Hawkins of Bradenton, Fla.; Billy Balfour of St. Clair, Mich.; and Micah Bong and Saad Khawajal of Sugar Land, Texas, each earned $20,000 scholarships for being the most \u201creal-world ready\u201d of more than 73,000 students learning and competing in the fall Budget Challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrong money management skills can make such a difference when new graduates head out in the real world, but funding for personal finance courses in high school can be scarce\u201d said Kathy Collins, chief marketing officer of H&R Block<\/strong>. \u201cWe\u2019re proud to offer the H&R Block Budget Challenge free to teachers and students nationwide to help teens learn these important financial skills before they start earning on their own.\u201d<\/p>\n

Real-world experience<\/strong><\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/a>Winner Billy Balfour was taught about personal finance growing up, but he says it didn\u2019t click for him until he participated in the H&R Block Budget Challenge.<\/p>\n

\u201cLearning about personal finance was a huge priority for me. Even though I grew up talking about budgeting with my parents, it never really made sense to me until I had to do it myself,\u201d said Balfour.<\/p>\n

Balfour\u2019s teacher Amanda Volz of St. Clair, Mich., has taught personal finance using the H&R Block Budget Challenge for three years and has found the program to be rewarding year after year for her students.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Budget Challenge gives my students excellent hands-on experience they can\u2019t get from a textbook,\u201d said Volz. \u201cThey walk away from this program knowing how banking, insurance and budgeting works in adulthood, which is invaluable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Legacy of learning<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The H&R Block Budget Challenge is part of H&R Block Dollars & Sense, an initiative that has helped more than 1 million teens become more real-world ready by giving them the knowledge they need to manage their money.<\/p>\n

This year, over 3,500 high schools received free H&R Block Budget Challenge curriculum. Since starting the Budget Challenge three years ago, more than 450,000 high schoolers have benefitted, more than $6 million in scholarships and prizes have been awarded and five additional national winners will be announced in May.<\/p>\n

To learn more visit www.HRBDS.org.<\/p>\n

Editor\u2019s Note: Current winners and former participants \u2013 including students and teachers \u2013 are available to share their personal experiences with the H&R Budget Challenge.<\/em><\/p>\n

About H&R Block Dollars & Sense<\/strong><\/h3>\n

H&R Block, Inc. (NYSE: HRB) is a global consumer tax services provider. Tax return preparation services are provided by professional tax preparers in approximately 12,000 company-owned and franchise retail tax offices worldwide, and through H&R Block tax software products for the DIY consumer. H&R Block Dollars & Sense is committed to increasing teens\u2019 financial fitness by providing practical financial skills and has helped more than 1 million teens become more real-world ready. For more information, visit the H&R Block Newsroom, www.HRBDS.org or follow H&R Block on Twitter<\/a>, Instagram<\/a> or Facebook<\/a>.<\/p>\n

About ProperLiving<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Based out of Cincinnati, Ohio, ProperLiving, LLC owns and operates the Budget Challenge Personal Finance Simulation, which received a U.S. Patent in May 2013.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Teens from Florida, Michigan and Texas take home $20,000 college scholarships from finance competition Seventy-five percent of teens say learning more about money management is one of their top priorities and the H&R Block Budget Challenge is helping teens do just that in classrooms nationwide. 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