Sevier News Messenger Sevier County News and Opinion
Piggy banks created by six Sevier County kids are moving on to compete in the statewide Piggy Bank Pageant.
How do plastic bottles, bits of string, paint, glue and ribbon help Tennessee kids learn about money? These are all materials that hundreds of kids across Tennessee use annually to craft handmade piggy banks to enter in UT Extension’s annual Piggy Bank Pageants. The contests, which begin locally, culminate in an online statewide people’s choice vote in April each year. The yearly contest attracts more than 2,500 handmade banks from youth age pre-K through 12th grade statewide.
In Sevier County, 77 young people entered the local Piggy Bank Pageant. Entries were judged in March in connection with Tennessee Saves Month. Local winners were:
- Solomon Rodgers, K – 1st grade
- Bethany Engelberger, 2nd-3rd grade
- Kaiser Martin, 4th grade
- Kaylea Green, 5th grade
- Gabby King, 6th – 8th grade
- Brianna Wolfenbarger, 9 – 12 grade
Vote online for your favorite piggy banks!
These Sevier County Winners will represent the county in the online state contest. Voting will begin Monday, April 18, 2016 at 8 a.m. EDT, and continue through Monday, April 25, 2016 8 a.m. EDT. The public can vote once daily for a favorite Piggy Bank in each age category at http://voteforthepig.tennessee.edu. Please take a few minutes to look at the Piggy Bank Pageant and vote for Sevier County entries!!
“We just can’t underestimate the importance of teaching young people the necessity of saving money,” says Dr. Dena Wise, Professor and Consumer Economics Specialist with UT Extension and coordinator of the statewide contest. “Young people who make saving a regular habit early in their lives have a real head start on achieving financial security as an adult.”
The Piggy Bank Contest is sponsored locally through UT Extension Sevier County, King Family Public Library, Tennessee State Bank, and Keep Sevier Beautiful. For more information, contact Linda Hyder, UT Extension at 865-453-3695 or lhyder@utk.edu.
