Only one submission per student will be accepted.

1. No Purchase Necessary / Eligibility. Participation is open to students who are currently enrolled in grades K–12 at a school or home‑school in the state. No purchase or payment is required to enter or win. Void where prohibited by law. 
    
2. Contest Sponsor. The contest is sponsored by the North Carolina Financial Literacy Council (FLC), in partnership with the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction and other organizational sponsors. 
    
3. Agreement to Rules. By entering, each participant and their parent/guardian agree to abide by these Official Rules, the judging criteria, and the decisions of the FLC and contest administrators, which are final and binding.
    
4. Grant of Rights / Publicity Release. By submitting an entry, participants and their guardians grant the FLC and supporting organizations the right to use the entry, the student’s name, grade level, and school or hometown (if recognized), in educational, promotional, marketing, or public materials without additional compensation. 
    
5. Liability Release. By participating, entrants and their parent/guardian release the FLC, the State of North Carolina, NC DPI, and all participating partners, affiliates, officers, and employees from any liability arising out of the contest, including but not limited to claims related to participation, submission, acceptance, possession, or use of any prize, even if due to negligence. 
    
6. Disqualification. Entries that are incomplete, late, plagiarized, inappropriate, or fail to meet eligibility or contest requirements (e.g. word count, format limits) may be disqualified at the sole discretion of the judges. 
    
7. Winner Notification / Prize Claim. Regional and statewide winners will be notified through contact information provided on the entry form. Winners must claim their prize by the stated deadline; unclaimed prizes may be forfeited or awarded to the next eligible entry. 
    
8. Tax and Legal Responsibility. Winners and their guardians are responsible for any federal, state, or local taxes associated with a prize. Prizes are non-transferable and cannot be exchanged for cash unless expressly permitted by the sponsor. 
    
9. Dispute Resolution / Governing Law. By entering, participants and guardians waive the right to bring any claim, suit or proceeding relating to the contest other than in a state or federal court located in Wake County, North Carolina. These rules are governed by North Carolina law, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. 
    
10. Privacy / Data Use. Personal information collected in connection with this contest will be used for administration and award purposes only, in accordance with North Carolina state privacy regulations. Information will not be sold or distributed.