Three local students have been selected as the first winners of a scholarship program offered through Finance Academy by Baker Boyer.

Aiden Carver and Talia Billingsley, both 2022 Walla Walla High School graduates, and Dilraj Kaur, a 2022 graduate of McLoughlin High School in Milton-Freewater, will receive $1,000 each from Baker Boyer to support their continuing educational endeavors.

Walla Walla High School Scholarship Winners: Aiden Carver and Talia Billingsley

McLoughlin High School in Milton-Freewater: Dilraj Kaur

A chance at the scholarships is offered to students who complete Finance Academy by Baker Boyer, a digital financial education program provided by the bank through high schools across the region. The program offers lessons that are designed to prepare students to make wise financial decisions, focusing on problem-solving, self-reflection and digital games that provide real-life scenarios to practice critical concepts around budgeting, retirement planning, credit cards, student loans and more.

“This program is important because not only does it teach basic financial skills, but also includes a wide range of other topics, such as insurance, taxes, mortgages and much more,” said Chris Christianson, who is heading up the program at Baker Boyer. “These subjects are often not taught in schools and are inevitable in adulthood, and therefore leaves students to try to figure it out on their own when they come to it.”

As of the end of May, more than 400 students in 15 schools had enrolled in the Finance Academy with more than 800 hours of learning and 1,375 modules completed.

“Baker Boyer is passionate about financial education because it entails critical concepts that can be used in many aspects of life,” Christianson said. “Introducing the youth to these financial competencies early on will aid them in becoming well-versed adults.”