Holy creativity, Batman!

Maybe kids don't grow up dreaming of becoming financial superheroes, but that doesn't mean they can't start. The National Foundation for Credit Counseling is promoting such a campaign by encouraging students to participate in its national financial literacy poster contest. This year's theme — “Be a $uperhero! $ave Money!” — is open to school-age children through high school. “Teachers have found this to be a creative way to introduce their students to the concept of financial literacy,” said NFCC spokeswoman Gail Cunningham. The annual contest, which usually attracts several thousand entrants, has included themes such as “Financial Responsibility Begins with Me,” “I'm Going to Be a Millionaire Because I ... “ and “$mart Money Choices = A Bright Future.” According to the NFCC, the contest is designed to “get students thinking about how to manage money effectively and offers them a creative outlet to demonstrate their knowledge.” Winners, who are chosen at local and national levels, receive commemorative T-shirts, award plaques and $100 savings bonds. The national winner receives an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., along with a parent or guardian, to be recognized on Capitol Hill in April as part of Financial Literacy Month. For more information on the contest, visit moneywisepostercontest.org.