Overton Ag Extension Supporting Financial Literacy Through Piggy Bank Pageant

The Overton County Ag Extension Office participating in a statewide competition to encourage financial literacy among the youth.

It is the annual Piggy Bank Pageant. Ag Agent Nicole Marrero said participants create their own handmade banks with the general public voting on the winners.

“It’s important for kids to start learning to save money early on,” Marrero said. “To help them save money, we have a goal of kids making a piggy bank out of anything they have at their house except glass. Even if your kid doesn’t do a piggy bank, it is important to teach them the value of money.”

Marrero said students from pre-k to 12th grade can participate. Marrero said agents have been visiting with Overton County classes to promote the event. Marrero said submissions can be dropped off at the extension office in February.

“In the county you are competing against other kids in your division,” Marrero said. “When you go on to state, we will have a link that we will send out. Thousands of people across the state vote. They can get a cash prize and award in the mail if they win.”

Marrero said children can be as creative as they want and can venture away from the classic piggy bank. Marrero said each project will be added to the voteforthepig.tennessee.edu website for the public to determine the winners.

“I’ve seen piggy banks where they make it out of paper mache and add components to open and close it,” Marrero said. “I’ve seen kids in other counties make table top vending machines that you put your money in. The whole concept is saving money and at the end of the month seeing how much you save.”