The Bankruptcy Bar Association of the Southern District of Florida ("BBA") is a voluntary association of bankruptcy professionals in South Florida which puts together initiatives and programs to improve the bankruptcy system and develop strategies to make financial literacy and education accessible to members of our community in South Florida.
To celebrate FINANCIAL LITERACY MONTH during April 2026, the BBA created this essay writing contest to raise financial education awareness. Financial literacy describes the skills, knowledge and tools that equip people to make individual financial decisions and actions to attain their goals. Beginning financial education at an early age is critical to a young person's long-term financial well-being. For 2026, BBA is opening the online application process to include students from Palm Beach, Broward and Dade County. In addition, video essays will also be accepted.
The subject for the BBA's 2026 FINANCIAL LITERACY ESSAY CONTEST is:
If you were to design a financial literacy workshop for students your age, what is one topic you would include based on your own experiences with money? Why is it important, and how could it help others avoid mistakes or achieve success?
Written essays must be 1,000 words or less. Each submission must also include the student's name, contact information, email address, photograph. Please note that if the student is under 18 years old, the signature of a parent or guardian must also be included with the submission to participate in the contest.
Video essays will also be accepted. Each video essay must be no more than 3 minutes long and under 4 Mgb. The same criteria apply (signature and acknoledgement form).
Use of artificial intelligence (e.g. ChatGPT, Grammarly, Claude) is prohibited. Entries with probable AI use will be discarded without notice to the entrant.
- First Place $1,000.00
- Second Place $500.00
- Third Place $250.00
A check will be made out to each of the winning students and their identified legal guardians (if under 18 at time of selection).
Terms and Conditions:
- Candidates must be high school students (grades 9-12) in a Public School in South Florida (Palm Beach, Broward or Dade County).
- Entries should be original content without artificial intelligence assistance.
- By entering the contest and submitting an essay, the student grants the BBA permission to use their name and photographic likeness in promotional materials or communications without limitation, payment, or compensation.
- The student and the student’s legal guardian also grant the BBA permission to publish or post all or a portion of the student’s contest submission.
- If the student submits a video, the student and the student’s legal guardian also grant the BBA permission to publish or post all or a portion of video.
All materials may be electronically submitted and files uploaded as a single pdf file to the BBA's Executive Director, through this link on or before March 31, 2026. Essays will be reviewed by a group of BBA volunteers, including U.S. Bankruptcy Judges for the Southern District of Florida, and winners will be announced on April 30, 2026.