Project Prosperity Scholarship

As my father's first and only biological child, I cherished every moment we shared. Every other weekend, he braved the thirty-minute drive south to pick me up from my mother’s house. He packed our short three days with games that, at the time, seemed boring but were unknowingly beneficial. On Friday nights, you’d likely find us battling multiplication flashcards on the living room sofa. On Saturday mornings, we worked on division, and, luckily for me, on Sundays we’d play board games. Monopoly was high on my list of preferred pastimes, followed by Connect Four and Jumbo Jenga. I quickly learned these games were all about strategy, and my ego soared whenever I beat my dad. Still, under his watch, playtime always transitioned into a classroom. Somehow, he even managed to drain the fun from my favorite game: Bingo. He replaced the small red dots placed on each 5x5 square with copper and silver coins. He explained the value of each one–pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters–expressing how much freedom money brought. There struck the beginning of my commitment to financial literacy and to access to financial education that most young people never receive. The older I got, the more serious our games became. Instead of playing printable bingo cards, we began creating budgeting spreadsheets and started discussing the importance of smart spending. Inspired by his entrepreneurial mindset, I launched my own floral business, Thyme to Bloom. Since then, I’ve served more than 130 customers while learning firsthand how to budget expenses, earn a profit, save consistently, and reinvest in my business. Every bouquet I sell further reinforces the financial principles my father introduced with a simple Bingo board. Yet, I realize not every young person grows up with someone who turns their favorite board game into a valuable lesson. I believe financial education should begin long before adulthood, when teenagers are young and impressionable. Rather than limiting financial literacy to a single course, I believe schools should weave practical money management into daily learning. By pursuing a business degree with a concentration in finance alongside a journalism minor, I will dismantle the barriers surrounding financial education for my generation. Thus far, I have led workshops for Girls of Affluence, an educational social club to teach young girls financial literacy. Additionally, I host financial literacy meetings as President of the Legal Studies Club at my school, in collaboration with various tax organizations across Georgia. I will continue to empower students to confidently build their own paths to financial independence. When young students are equipped with economic knowledge, they are motivated to achieve greater independence. As my small business continues to flourish, I will spread awareness about what it means to be financially savvy as a business owner. Wanting to build on my knowledge, I earned six college credits over the summer by completing Business Money 101 and Marketing 202 at the University of Miami. Here, I further strengthened my understanding of investing, marketing, and entrepreneurship. Understanding the importance of money management is crucial, but this discipline yields a far greater return than currency itself. I want my peers to know it’s never too early to start. Whether you’re quietly cultivating healthy financial habits, starting your own business, or playing not-so-fun board games with a parent, financial independence is powerful. I will continue my father’s legacy of not just reflecting on financial literacy as it is, but of teaching financial literacy the way it will be for future generations.