Middleton High School juniors Sophia Chen and Sophia Pientka were recognized on April 10 as recipients of the 2025 Governor’s Financial Literacy Award at a ceremony held at the Wisconsin State Capitol. Chen and Pientka were the only students among the 21 honorees, receiving acknowledgment for their Finance for Life project, which aims to improve financial literacy among middle school students in Dane County.
The recognition highlights efforts to promote financial education among young people. The Finance for Life project uses a peer-to-peer model to teach budgeting, smart spending, and compound interest concepts. The program has reached over 450 students so far through classes at Kromrey Middle School, Glacier Creek Middle School, Middleton Public Library, and Beloit Memorial High School. The students plan to expand their initiative across Dane County and statewide.
Chen and Pientka are members of Middleton High School’s chapter of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), with Finance for Life now serving as their chapter’s official community service project. FBLA advisors Bill Boehm and Brian Zimdars attended the awards ceremony in support of their students.
“Sophia Pientka and Sophia Chen’s recognition with the Governor’s Financial Literacy Award highlights their leadership and the measurable community impact of their work improving financial literacy for middle school students in Dane County,” said Bill Boehm, Middleton High School teacher and FBLA advisor. “This honor validates the quality of their project, strengthens the Finance for Life initiative, and reflects positively on Middleton High School and our FBLA program.”
The award is given by the Governor’s Council on Financial Literacy and Capability to individuals or organizations that help Wisconsinites build skills related to personal finance. “We are incredibly honored to be recognized by Governor Evers for our work,” Chen said. “This recognition was unexpected, which makes it even more meaningful. We’re excited to continue expanding our program across the state and reach more students. Being recognized at this level allows us to show youth that they truly can achieve anything they set their minds to. Behind every award is a great deal of hard work and dedication, so it’s an amazing feeling to see that effort acknowledged.”
According to the official website, Middleton-Cross Plains Area School District promotes community engagement through extracurricular activities such as those led by Chen and Pientka while maintaining facilities supporting education from early childhood through high school with an emphasis on literacy programs.
The district achieved top ACT composite scores among public non-charter schools in both Dane County and Wisconsin according to its official website. Dr. Dana Monogue served as superintendent during this period according to district information. The district serves both Middleton and Cross Plains areas in Wisconsin as reported by its website.
