TruMark Financial hosted its 11th annual Financial Jeopardy competition on May 9, at its headquarters in Fort Washington, Pa.
The Financial Jeopardy competition, a spin-off of the long-running nightly quiz show that airs on 6ABC in Philadelphia, tested students’ personal finance knowledge in categories such as banking, credit, taxes, budgeting, and investments. At the end of the competition, TruMark Financial awarded three scholarships – a $5,000 grand prize, a $3,000 second prize, and a $2,000 third prize – to the students who fared best in the Jeopardy, Double Jeopardy, and Final Jeopardy rounds of the competition.
The winner of the $5,000 grand prize was Vrund Patel, representing Bensalem High School. He will be attending Drexel University and majoring in computer science. Second place winner Audra Polsky, representing Plymouth Whitemarsh High School, won a $3,000 scholarship. She plans to attend West Chester University and major in mathematics and secondary education. Ryan Mace, representing Neshaminy High School, finished third and won a $2,000 scholarship. He will be attending Millersville University and his major is currently undecided.
In addition to the top three prizes, TruMark Financial awarded a $200 savings account at the credit union to each of the other eight contestants.
Participating high schools included: Abington, Bensalem, George Washington, Neshaminy, Norristown, Northeast, Plymouth Whitemarsh, Upper Dublin, Radnor, Roman Catholic, and William Tennent.
The Financial Jeopardy Game is a component of TruMark Financial’s Building Financial Futures initiative. TruMark Financial employees conduct financial literacy reality fairs at local high schools and also visit the schools to conduct presentations on topics such as establishing and maintaining good credit, budgeting, and investing. The presentations provide third-party expertise to students and complement the schools’ existing personal finance curricula.
In addition, TruMark Financial operates student-run branches at:
• Bensalem High School in Bensalem, Pa.
• Bucks County Community College in Newtown, Pa.
• Henderson High School in West Chester, Pa.
• La Salle University, Philadelphia, Pa.
• Plymouth Whitemarsh High School in Plymouth Meeting, Pa.
• Rustin High School, West Chester, Pa.
• West Chester East High School in West Chester, Pa.
• William Tennent High School in Warminster, Pa.
As financial “illiteracy” and college debt among young people increase and school budgets shrink, TruMark Financial works to bridge the gap with programs that educate students about credit, loans, saving, and investing. The Financial Jeopardy competition is one component of the credit union’s financial literacy program that provides students with sound financial principles that will serve them throughout their lifetime.