Pesch named Honorable Mention winner in PAYBACK Challenge

Next Gen Personal Finance ​(NGPF), a non-profit committed to ensuring that all students leave high school with the skills needed to thrive in an increasingly complex financial world, is pleased to announce two students from Minnesota have received an Honorable Mention Award in their second annual PAYBACK Challenge.

Both of the Minnesota winners are from Southwest Minnesota and they are Caroline Wilcox from Murray County Central High School (Slayton) and Ted Pesch from Minneota High School.

Over 800 students from all across the United States submitted essays earlier last fall.

After playing the award-winning college finance game, ​PAYBACK​, students wrote a 250-word essay answering ​one​ of these questions:

How has the PAYBACK game changed your perspective on the real-life decisions you will make when paying for college? or What steps can you take NOW in order to complete college with as little debt as possible?

Teachers nominated the best student essay from their classes.

NGPF staff then reviewed the submitted essays, judging them based on the following criteria:

• Provides a complete and clear answer to the question

• Indicates an understanding of key concepts learned by playing the game PAYBACK

• Articulates thoughts in a creative manner

Each of the Honorable Mention winners will receive a $500 award from NGPF to be used for educational purposes.

“Over 100,000 students played PAYBACK during the contest period,” noted NGPF Co-Founder, Tim Ranzetta.

“It was great to see the impact this game had on students’ attitudes and actions as they decide on their educational path after high school. Thanks to the educators who engaged with their students by bringing PAYBACK to their classrooms and facilitating the amazing conversations that followed. With student debt at record levels, these conversations are more critical than ever.”

Next Gen Personal Finance (NGPF), has become the “one-stop shop” for financial educators looking for high-quality, engaging curriculum to equip students with skills to thrive in their future. In terms of reach, fifty percent (50%) of U.S. high school students attend a school where a teacher is using NGPF’s curriculum.

NGPF’s commitment to teachers is evidenced by their “50 in 50” campaign to bring a one-day ​FinCamp to every state​ during the 2018-19 school year. NGPF has been recognized by Common Sense Education as a “​Top Website for Teachers to Find Lesson Plans​.”