220+ high school students walked into Kent State University on March 20th. They weren’t there for a field trip. They were there to compete for real money by solving real problems that most adults have given up on.
This was Barrier Breakers 2026. Year three. And it was the biggest one yet.
What Is Barrier Breakers?
Quick version: high school students pick a financial barrier (transportation, housing, healthcare, financial literacy, or whatever they want), research why it exists, build a solution, and present it to a panel of finance professionals, professors, and community leaders. Winners take home cash, scholarships to Kent State, and grants that go directly back to their schools.
It’s powered by FinMango in collaboration with Kent State University. And it’s built on a belief I keep coming back to: financial health isn’t about knowing more. It’s about facing fewer walls.
Barrier Breakers isn’t about teaching students to navigate a broken system. It’s about asking them to break the barriers down.
The Numbers
Let’s talk about what these students took home.
Demo Day Winners (Oral Presentations):
1st Place: Jonah Kuhar & Jake Pasiak $4,000 team cash · $2,500 KSU scholarship · $1,000 school grant
2nd Place: Caleb Vales $2,500 team cash · $1,500 KSU scholarship · $650 school grant
3rd Place: John Nguyen & Ryan Howard $1,250 team cash · $1,000 KSU scholarship · $500 school grant
4th Place: Colin Scott, Brady Lane & Tyler Jamison $750 team cash · $750 KSU scholarship · $350 school grant
5th Place: Gianna Kos & Sofia Mendez $500 team cash · $500 KSU scholarship · $250 school grant
That’s $18,000 across Demo Day. Cash split among team members, scholarships for students who attend KSU with an ACCBE major or minor, and grants sent straight back to their high schools.
We also gave out over $3,000 to Poster Presentation winners and Financial Literacy Knowledge Track winners.
Grand total: $21,000+ to high school students in a single day.
Why This Matters
Here’s the thing. The barriers to financial health in this country aren’t just about what you know. They’re systemic. And these students understand that better than most policymakers I’ve talked to.
They’re not building budgeting apps. They’re asking why the system works this way and what it would take to change it. Policy proposals, community tools, app prototypes, financial literacy campaigns. Real ideas with real teeth.
That’s what gets me fired up about this event every year. We’re not asking students to learn about financial barriers. We’re asking them to tear them down.
I need to take a minute here because Barrier Breakers doesn’t happen without a lot of people showing up and giving their time.
Our sponsors:
Valmark Financial Group came in as our Platinum Sponsor with a $25,000 commitment. That’s the backbone of this whole event. 1st Day School Supplies (shoutout to Michael Meadows) and Bob “Gilly” Gillingham each came in at the Silver level with $2,500 commitments. These aren’t just checks. These are people who believe high schoolers deserve a seat at the table.
Our volunteer judges:
Demo Day wouldn’t work without professionals who take these students seriously. Huge thank you to Peyton Zachrich, Cass Lacey, Mia Fawls, Drew Mallott, Steven Dennis, Ashley Wasielewski, Ryan Bayonnet (CFP, MSF), Davonta Milbry, Bradley Smith, Nick Widmer, Anthony Dalayanis, Frank Slemc, and Carly King. These folks gave up their Friday to listen, push back, and engage with every single team. That matters more than people realize.
Kent State and the Ambassador Crawford College of Business:
Big shoutout to Kent State University and the Ambassador Crawford College of Business for being our collaboration partner on this. Katie Levels, Diane Sommers, Al Lloyd, and Emmanuel Dechenaux made this event possible on the ground. Hosting 220+ students, coordinating logistics, making sure everything runs smooth. We couldn’t do this without them.
What’s Next
Barrier Breakers 2026 is in the books. Three years running and growing every time.
We’re also exploring the possibility of a virtual summer competition. A lot of the teams did such amazing work on their projects and we want to give them another opportunity to get recognition and support. That one’s dependent on funding, but stay tuned.
And honestly? We’re starting to think about what it looks like to bring this model to other regions across the country. More on that down the road.
Applications for Barrier Breakers 2027 will open in the fall. If you’re a teacher looking to get your students involved, a professional who wants to volunteer as a judge, or a company that wants to sponsor the next generation of problem-solvers, reach out. Email [email protected] or sign up at finmango.org/barrier-breakers to get notified.
These students aren’t waiting for permission to solve hard problems. Neither should we.