Olympia High School student wins Money Smart Week essay contest
April 2, 2019
CLINTON - Olympia High School junior Cavit Schempp loves math, business and science. Oh, and rocks, too.
Schempp is the winner of the Money Smart Week essay contest sponsored by the DeWitt County Money Smart Week committee, beating out a group of sixth through 12th graders in central Illinois.
This year’s essay prompt was, “Many American families experience income volatility over the course of a year. Please explain what the phrase ‘income volatility’ means, why a family may experience it, who in our communities are prone to experience ‘income volatility’ and approximately how many Americans experience it every year. Please offer ways that a family could prepare for a sudden change in income. Please also discuss what you think could be done to help alleviate this situation.”
Schempp is currently enrolled in the CEO program through Olympia High School and is learning firsthand how to create and run a business. He has taken his love of gems and created Silicate Designs, which creates beautiful necklaces out of stones native to central Illinois. Schempp plans to enroll at Southern Illinois University to study mineralogy and accounting to pursue his love of rocks, math and science.
For his essay, the Money Smart committee awarded Schempp $100 and he receives the honor of being “Central Illinois’ Money Smart Kid of 2019.”
This year’s DeWitt County Money Smart Committee included Connie Unruh, financial literacy coordinator with First National Bank and Trust Company’s nonprofit arm, TS Institute, Matt Riley, fiduciary and trust officer, First National Bank and Trust Company and Kim O’Donohue, financial advisor, Edward Jones.
“Congratulations to Cavit on a great essay,” Unruh said. “We wish him the best on his future endeavors.”
Added Riley: “We were impressed with Cavit’s essay and his business acumen. He has a bright future.”
About First National Bank and Trust Co: First National Bank & Trust Company is a community bank located in Clinton, Illinois. Dedicated to community prosperity, the bank was chartered in 1872 under the name DeWitt County National Bank. The name was changed First National Bank and Trust Company in 1974, and was acquired by TS Banking Group in 2017. With $186 million in assets, First National Bank is dedicated to community reinvestment and gives 10% of its net income back to the community, including support of its non-profit arm, TS Institute. For more information visit firstnbtc.com.