MSW Video Essay Contest 2012

In support of the 2012 Money Smart Week SM Illinois - taking place April 21 through April 28, 2012 - the Department of Finance at the University of Illinois, in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, presents the Fifth Annual Video Essay Contest.		2012 The Essay Contest   for the YouTube generation View, Enjoy, and Rate
2012 Video Essays View, Enjoy, and Rate Rules Free Resources FAQs Last Year's Videos

New Video Essay Contest Structure

This year we will have two segments for the Video Essay Contest: one for traditional video essays and one for Video Essays built with XtraNormal or the equivalent.

XtraNormal is a free software that translates typed dialog into animated movie. This opens the Video Essay Contest to schools and students that would normally not have access to the videographing and editing software required to produce a traditional video essay. Follow the XtraNormal link for details.

The rules regarding content and form are identical for each segment of the contest. Mixed video (traditional and Xtranormal content together in the same entry) will be included in the tradional segment for judging purposes.

Video Essay Topic 2012

This year the video essay must address some aspect of money management for students. This includes any topic relevant to Financial Literacy approved by the supervising teacher.

• "What is a budget and how do I manage one"
• "Saving,- Pay yourself first"
• "The power of plastic"
  • Credit versus Debit Cards
  • Managing a Debit Card
  • What every student should know about Interest and Fees
• "Protecting yourself from fraud"
• Protecting yourself from identity theft
• Protecting yourself from debit card theft
• "The student as a part of our Economy"
  • Essentials of working for a living
  • Who gets my salary? Because there's nothing left for me?
  • Interviewing skills/ How to manage an interview/ How Not to manage an interview

These topics might be of interest to language and social science classes as well as business, investments, and economics classes. For example, a Spanish class could do "The power of Plastic" for Spanish Speakers".

Prizes

	Video Essay Prizes First Prize: $400 Second Prize: $200 Prizes sponsored by		XtraNormal Essay Prizes First Prize: $100 Second Prize: $50 Prizes sponsored by		JBO Teacher Prizes In recognition for all the extras in supervising the winning video essay: $200. In recognition for all the extras in supervising the second place video essay: $100. In recognition for all the extras in supervising the winning XtraNormal video essay: $200. In recognition for all the extras in supervising the second place XtraNormal video essay: $100. Teacher prizes are given in memory of Jacques Bernard Oltheten, who would have loved this.
	The prize committee reserves the right to adjust the prizes based on the quantity and quality of the videos received for submission.

Money Smart Week is an registered service mark of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago

The Video Essay Contest is an annual event. The best video modules become permanent residents on a Financial Literacy web site so than anyone and everyone can learn the lessons - or at least mini-lessons - offered by our students.