Camp Hill, PA – Auditor General Timothy L. DeFoor today kicked off a contest to design the cover of his department’s first-ever Be Money $mart financial literacy activity book designed to help students and their caregivers learn how to plan for their financial future. The activity book is being produced with ‘Be Money $mart’ partners, including the Pennsylvania Alliance of YMCAs, the Pennsylvania Library Association, CrossState Credit Union Association and the Pennsylvania Chamber of Business and Industry.
“Financial literacy is something I’ve been passionate about for decades,” Auditor General DeFoor said. “That’s why we created our Be Money $mart initiative. Together, we must continue to raise awareness about the need for financial literacy education in Pennsylvania so that all of our kids, from kindergarteners to high school seniors, and beyond, can Be Money $mart.”
The winning artwork will be revealed at the 2026 PA Farm Show in Harrisburg. To enter the contest, visit www.paauditor.gov/activitybook and download the official template. Pennsylvania students in grades K-12 are eligible to participate. Submissions are due by October 31, 2025.
National Financial Planning Month is celebrated each year in October and emphasizes the importance of being financially literate and encourages people to learn about the ways they can become fiscally smart.
Auditor General DeFoor has spent nearly four years promoting financial literacy through his Be Money $mart initiative, which raises awareness about the need for financial literacy education in Pennsylvania and highlights free resources that people can use on their journey to financial freedom.
Since ‘Be Money $mart’ launched in 2021, Auditor General DeFoor has:
- Partnered with Harrisburg University of Science and Technology and Members 1st Federal Credit Union to coordinate a statewide financial literacy competition for high school students;
- Met with teachers and students in high school classrooms across Pennsylvania in recognition of successful financial literacy learning opportunities;
- Visited all state and state related universities in Pennsylvania, as well as community colleges, to talk about job and internship opportunities within the department and the importance of knowing how your money works;
- Partnered with the Pennsylvania Library Association to highlight free financial literacy resources and the PA Forward program;
- Visited YMCAs across the Commonwealth to talk about financial literacy for all ages;
- Worked with Junior Achievement to emphasize financial literacy messages to elementary school students and participated in multiple BizTown simulations; and
- Partnered with CrossState Credit Union Association and other credit unions and financial institutions across the state to promote free financial literacy resources, including hosting ‘Money $mart Mondays’ with PSECU.
To learn more about our department, our ‘Be Money $mart’ initiative or to locate audits affecting your community, visit our website.
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Media contact: April Hutcheson, 717-787-1381 or ahutcheson@paauditor.gov