Write 250 Words About Money. Win a $1,000 Savings Account. Due Nov. 20.

Here's a contest where the prize is a savings account with $1,000 in it. And all you have to do is write about money.

OneUnited Bank, based in Boston, is running its 16th annual "I Got Bank!" youth contest. If you're 8 to 12 years old, you can send in a 250-word essay or a piece of artwork. The deadline is November 20, 2026, so the clock is ticking.

Let's go through exactly how it works, then talk about how to make your entry great.

It's a financial literacy contest for kids ages 8 to 12, run by OneUnited Bank. You read a book about money, then write an essay or make art that shows what you learned.

The contest is named after a children's book called I Got Bank! What My Granddad Taught Me About Money. Teri Williams, the bank's president, wrote it in 2010. According to Jitney Books, the story follows two boys who learn how valuable saving money can be, and it's meant for kids ages 4 to 12.

You don't have to read that exact book. OneUnited says you can pick another financial literacy book if you like.

Kids must be 8 to 12 years old as of November 20, 2026, and a parent has to give permission. The entry has to be submitted by November 20, 2026. If you mail it, it needs to be emailed or postmarked by that date.

No purchase is needed to enter. Winners will be announced, and awards delivered, by December 29, 2026.

Quick tip: don't wait until the last night. Give yourself at least a week to write, edit, and get a grown-up to look over the form.

You can write a 250-word essay or create an artwork, and then turn it into a PDF. Either way, your job is to show how you could use financial literacy skills to help your family's life and work toward financial freedom.

That's a big idea, so let's break it down.

• Financial literacy just means understanding money: saving, spending, earning, and giving.
• Financial freedom means having enough money that you aren't stuck worrying about it.
• Your family is the focus. How could what you learned help the people you live with?

Two hundred fifty words is about one page of big handwriting. It's shorter than you think, which means every sentence has to count.

Ten winners each receive a $1,000 savings account. That's from OneUnited's contest page.

There's one detail worth knowing. The page says awards are subject to IRS 1099 reporting. That's a tax form. It's a good question to ask a parent about, since you can't skip taxes just because you won a prize. It's also a real-life money lesson you get for free.

Kids who submit online before the deadline also get access to a digital comic book with financial literacy exercises, according to the contest page.

Past winners were all between 8 and 12 years old, and they wrote about saving and about taking the lead on money. In the 2024 contest, OneUnited named ten winners, including an 8-year-old and several 10-year-olds, 11-year-olds, and 12-year-olds.

Teri Williams, who judged along with Sherri Brewer, said, "In 2024, we saw a shift in themes towards taking leadership in matters of financial literacy." In other words, kids weren't just saying "saving is good." They were saying "here's how I can step up."

That's a handy clue. Judges like entries that sound like a real person with a real plan.

Try this simple plan.

1. Pick one idea. Don't write about saving, spending, giving, and investing all at once. Choose one thing you learned.
2. Tell a tiny story. Maybe you saved for a bike for three months. Maybe your family clips coupons. Real moments beat big words.
3. Say what you'll do. The contest asks how you could use these skills. Name one action, like starting a small jar for family goals.
4. Connect it to your family. Show how your plan helps the people around you.
5. Read it out loud. If a sentence sounds clunky, fix it.

If you're making art, the same rules apply. One clear idea, one real example, and a short note that explains your picture.

Planning helps with any big project. You can sketch it on paper, or a young founder planning tool like Foundra can help you organize ideas and goals in one place. Use whatever feels fun.

Even if you don't win, writing the essay gives you a head start. You'll have thought about how money works in your life.

Here are three questions to answer before you start:

• What's one thing I want to save for?
• How long will it take at the amount I can save each week?
• Who else could that goal help?

Do the math. If you save $4 a week, that's $16 a month and $208 in a year. Seeing the real numbers makes it easier to write something believable.

Here's a simple schedule that works if you start today. Today is November 1, so you've got about three weeks.

• Days 1 and 2: Pick your book. If you can't get I Got Bank! from a library, choose any money book you can find, and ask a librarian for ideas.
• Days 3 to 5: Read it, and write down three things that surprised you.
• Days 6 to 9: Draft your essay or sketch your art. Don't worry about perfect.
• Days 10 to 12: Fix the draft. Count your words. Ask a parent or teacher to read it.
• Days 13 and 14: Make the PDF, fill out the parent form, and submit with a few days to spare.

Submitting early matters. Online forms can glitch, printers jam, and mail takes time. Finishing a week ahead means a small problem stays small.

Most kids who enter won't win, and that's okay. Here's what you still get.

You'll practice writing a clear idea in a short space. That skill helps with school, job applications, and even pitching a business someday. You'll also have a plan written down, which is the first step to doing it. Plenty of young entrepreneurs started with a simple goal on paper.

Keep your essay. Read it again in a year and see what you actually did. Maybe you saved for your goal. Maybe you changed your plan. Either way you'll learn something about yourself.

And you can enter again next year if you're still under the age limit. OneUnited has run this contest for sixteen years, so it's not a one-time chance.

OneUnited Bank is a Boston bank that began in 1968 as Unity Bank & Trust Company, according to Wikipedia. It's a Massachusetts-chartered trust company and a certified Community Development Financial Institution.

The book that inspired the contest was written by the bank's president, Teri Williams. She also helped judge the 2024 winners. It's worth knowing that a bank is running a contest about saving money, because banks are in the business of holding savings. That doesn't make the contest less useful. It just means you should look at the whole picture and ask a parent to review the rules and the prize terms before you enter.

• OneUnited Bank's 16th annual I Got Bank contest is open to kids 8 to 12 as of November 20, 2026.
• Entries are due November 20, 2026, with a parent's permission.
• You can submit a 250-word essay or artwork as a PDF.
• Ten winners each get a $1,000 savings account.
• Pick one idea, tell a small true story, and name one action your family could take.
• Ask a parent about the 1099 tax form mentioned for awards.

Do I have to read the I Got Bank book? No. OneUnited says you can read another financial literacy book. The book by Teri Williams is the contest's namesake, though.

How long does my essay need to be? The contest page says 250 words. Aim for about that length.

Can I send artwork instead of writing? Yes. You can submit an essay or artwork, and it should be sent as a PDF.

Do I need a parent's help? Yes. A parent has to approve the form and give permission for you to take part.

When will winners find out? OneUnited says winners will be announced and awards delivered by December 29, 2026.

What if I'm 13 or older? This contest is for ages 8 to 12 as of November 20, 2026. Look for teen contests instead, or write the essay anyway for practice.

1. 16th Annual "I Got Bank!" Youth Essay Contest, OneUnited Bank
2. OneUnited Bank announces winners of 14th annual I Got Bank 2024 youth essay and art contest, OneUnited Bank
3. I Got Bank! Financial Literacy Contest Accepting Art and Essays from Kids for $1,000 Prize, Jitney Books
4. OneUnited Bank, Wikipedia