2025 W!se Financial Literacy Ambassador Award
Application Form and Process

 

The Financial Literacy Ambassadors Award is a $5,000 monetary award distributed to five students ($1,000 each). Students who scored at least 95% on our Financial Literacy Certification Test in the 2024-25 school year are eligible to apply.

The award is made possible through the sponsorship of the Financial Literacy Outreach (FLO) Mentors, a group of W!se volunteers who are passionate about helping young people improve their knowledge of personal finance. We are truly grateful to FLO Mentors for this generous sponsorship.

Eligibility

Financial Literacy Ambassadors Award applicants must be a student (grades 9-12) who

  1. Scored at least 95% on the W!se Financial Literacy Certification Test while enrolled in a high school registered in the Financial Literacy Certification program and
  2. Took the W!se Certification Test in the Summer of 2024, Fall of 2024, or Spring of 2025.

Application Requirements

To be considered for the Award, applicants must:

  1. Complete the online application (click here to apply).
  2. Write an essay in 700 – 800 words which responds to at minimum one of the topics in part 1 (i.e. 1A, 1B, 1C) AND part 2.
    1. (400 words maximum) What lessons I learned from studying personal finance in high school and how:
      1. I am or have been applying these lessons,
      2. will apply these lessons throughout my life,
      3. my knowledge of personal finance helped or enabled me to help another person address a financial situation, challenge, issue, etc.
    2. (400 words maximum) How will I create awareness about and advocate for Financial Literacy in my community if I receive the FL Ambassadors Award.
  3. Request a school official, an employer or mentor (or equivalent role model) to submit a letter of recommendation. Author needs to disclose relationship with applicant and provide phone number and email address. The letter CANNOT be written by a family member or friend.
  4. Agree, if selected for an Award, to complete a short W!se survey once a year for three consecutive years after the Award is made.
  5. Agree, if selected for an award, to be interviewed by W!se, submit a headshot photograph and agree to the use of my name and image in W!se publications, a press release and public relation materials.

The DEADLINE for submitting applications is June 29, 2025. Applications submitted AFTER June 29, 2025 will not be considered. Award winners will be notified around July 31, 2025.

We look forward to receiving and reviewing applications. If you have questions, please contact Dario Stipisic at dstipisic@wise-ny.org or (212) 421-2700.

CLICK HERE TO APPLY