News Releases

Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago Announces 2013 Money Smart Kid
Fifth grade student, Dayton Melaniphy, Wins Top Prize and $5,000 Scholarship

CHICAGO (April 17, 2013) Dayton Melaniphy of Naperville, Ill., beat out hundreds of financially savvy middle school students to win the Money Smart Kid Essay Contest coordinated by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and sponsored by BMO Harris Bank, COUNTRY Financial and WoodForest National Bank.

Dayton read his winning essay about investments he would make in his community before a packed room of financial experts, family members, runner-ups and past contest winners.

"The Money Smart Kid Essay Contest is one of our favorite Money Smart Week® programs," said Alejo Torres, senior outreach program manager, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. "We've received hundreds of essays over the years from kids who clearly are beginning to understand the basics of good financial decisions. We hope that these early financial education opportunities, like our essay contest, help them to build on that financial knowledge into the future."

BMO Harris Bank awarded the top prize, a $5,000 scholarship. The two runners-up, eighth grade student, Jessica Joyce of Burnham, Ill. and fifth grade student, Amiri Rivers-David of Chicago, each received $2,500 scholarships from COUNTRY Financial.

Fifth grader, Nicolas Siodlarz of Naperville, Ill., eighth grade student, Matthew Zebrowski of Chicago, and seventh grade student, Christina Targia also of Chicago, rounded out the top six and received laptops from Woodforest National Bank.

"BMO Harris Bank takes great pride in being a Money Smart Week® partner," said Dave Mika, Market Manager, BMO Harris Bank. "We've been involved with Chicago's Money Smart Week® since its inception eleven years ago and continue to encourage financial education throughout the communities we serve."

"The Money Smart Kid Essay Contest demonstrates that kids are interested in learning about money and saving," said Marc Rogala, Chicago South Agency, COUNTRY Financial. "It's never too early to teach good financial habits and that's why we are proud of our support of Money Smart Week® "

The essay contest is part of the activities taking place during Money Smart Week® April 20-27. Money Smart Week® events are open to the public at businesses, financial institutions, schools, libraries, nonprofits and government agencies throughout the Chicago area on topics including, kids and money, unemployment, managing student debt and retirement. Many of the events are offered in different languages. Event information is available at www.moneysmartweek.org

To learn more about Money Smart Week® or the Money Smart Week Kid Contest, visit, www.moneysmartweek.org

About Money Smart Week:
Money Smart Week® is a public awareness campaign to promote financial literacy across all age groups. Launched in 2002 by the Fe deral Reserve Bank of Chicago, the program is now active in more than 35 states through national partnerships with the American Library Association and the Financial Planning Association. New 2013 national partners are the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) Cooperative Extension.  More than 3,000 free, financial literacy programs are offered nationwide during Money Smart Week® on topics ranging from budgeting to saving for college and retirement.  Events are coordinated and hosted by partnering organizations including local banks, universities, government agencies, community groups and libraries.

About BMO Harris Bank:
BMO Harris Bank provides a broad range of personal banking products and solutions through over 600 branches and approximately 1,300 ATMs in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, Minnesota, Nevada, Arizona and Florida.  BMO Harris Bank's commercial banking team provides a combination of sector expertise, local knowledge and mid-market focus throughout the U.S.  For more information about BMO Harris Bank, go to the company fact sheet.  Deposit and loan products and services provided by BMO Harris Bank N.A. Member FDIC. BMO Harris BankSM is a trade name used by BMO Harris Bank N.A. BMO Harris Bank is part of BMO Financial Group, a North American financial organization with approximately 1,600 branches, and $542 billion in assets (as of Jan. 31, 2013).

About COUNTRY Financial:
COUNTRY Financial (www.countryfinancial.com) serves about 1 million households and businesses throughout the United States. Founded in 1925, COUNTRY has nearly 2,000 financial representatives in 17 Midwestern, Western and Southern states who help families build a financially secure future, no matter where they're starting from. COUNTRY offers a full range of financial products and services from auto, home and life insurance to retirement planning services, college savings plans and investment management.