HHS senior 3rd in state essay contest

Kyle Unruh in Topeka with parents Warren and Anita Unruh.Kyle Unruh, a senior at Hillsboro High School, won the third-place prize of $1,500 for an essay she entered in the 2017 Financial Scholars Essay Contest.

The contest was sponsored jointly by the Office of the State Bank Commis­sioner and the Office of the Kansas Securities Commis­sioner.

Five scholarships, ranging from $500 to $2,500, as well as three $250 honorable mention prizes, were awarded to Kansas high school seniors to help cover the cost of tuition at a Kan­sas school of higher education.

A record 140 essays from across the state were submitted to and judged by an independent panel of judges.

Students were asked to submit a two-part essay. In the first section, they chose one of the following financial challenges: a real-life event that happened to them or someone they know that impacted their views of handling money, a financial issue they believe public policy makers should give more attention to, or what they would like their lives to look like 10 years down the road and the decisions they would have to make about finances and money management.

The students then provided a three-to-six page analysis applying the lessons they incorporated in the first section toward financial decisions they are currently making regarding their higher education, including discussion of the positive and negative aspects of student loans, comparing the various types of higher education, and researching the earning potential of their chosen field of study and the job availability and demand of potential careers.

Unruh titled her essay, “A Plan of Future Stability.” She wrote about lessons she has learned from her family about the importance of saving money and being careful with spending.

Because she enjoys working with people and wants to work in a career that can be flexible for her future family, she has chosen to study cosmetology and hopes to one day own her own salon.

The following is an excerpt from her essay: “This year I am taking an entrepreneurship class in which I am creating a business plan for salon ownership. Through this plan, I am analyzing the costs of salon ownership, including expenses such as utilities and insurance. I have developed advertising methods I could use when trying to reach a specific target market someday. I have created projections of cash flow, revenue and expenses for the first five years of salon ownership.”

Unruh plans to attend the Hays Academy of Hair Design in Salina this fall. She was joined by her parents, Warren and Anita Unruh, at the awards presentation at the historic Dillon House in Topeka, and was also recognized by local legislator Rep. John Barker.

The students and their families took photos in the governor’s ceremonial office and had the option to tour the Statehouse and dome.

“The programs we sponsor are designed to help prepare students for life beyond high school,” said Miki Bowman, Kansas State Bank commissioner. “These essays illustrate the impact our programs have made on Kansas students across the state. It is clear these students are aware of the importance of making sound financial decisions from the start.”

More from Hillsboro Free Press
Hillsboroan escapes injury in Dec. 28 accident
A Hillsboro woman escaped without injuries in a four-vehicle injury accident just...
Read More