Sevier County Kids Compete in Statewide Piggy Bank Pageant

Voting began today for the Tennessee Piggy Bank Pageant and the public may vote for their favorites in an online poll.

How do plastic bottles, bits of string, paint, glue and ribbon help Sevier County Youth learn about money? These are materials that local students use annually to craft handmade piggy banks for entering in UT Extension’s annual Piggy Bank Pageant. This contest, begins locally and culminates to an online statewide people’s choice vote in April each year. In Sevier County, this Piggy Bank Contest is sponsored through UT Extension–Sevier County, King Family Public Library, Tennessee State Bank, and Keep Sevier Beautiful.

This year in Sevier County, 194 young people creatively designed banks for the State Piggy Bank Pageant. Youth groups such as Sevier County 4-H, Scouts, and Head Start classes became involved in the project. Entries were judged in March in connection with TN Saves Month.

Local Sevier County 4-H Piggy Bank Pageant winners are:

Natalie Wilbourn – Pre-K-1st grade
Skylar King – 2nd-3rd grade
Amaya Ray – 4th grade
Kayla Cruz – 5th grade
Gavin King – 6th-8th grade
Dakota Ferrell – 9th-12th grade

These winners will represent Sevier County in the online State Contest April 24. Tennessee State Bank provided $25 to each winner to begin a saving account.

Now it is your time to help these young people… Please take a few minutes to look at the Piggy Bank Pageant and vote for Sevier County entries! Help local winners become State Winners in the Tennessee Piggy Bank Pageant! Voting will begin Monday, April 24, 2017 at 8 a.m. EDT, and continue through8 a.m. EDT on Monday, May 1, 2017.

During the Tennessee Piggy Bank Pageant voting period, the public can vote once per day for a favorite piggy bank in each age category online at http://voteforthepig.tennessee.edu.

“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.”

For more information about the Tennessee Piggy Bank Contest, contact Linda Hyder, UT Extension at 865-453-3695 or lhyder@utk.edu.