PHILIPSBURG:-- Laughter quickly filled the room when Senior Carnival Contestant #3 Breyenne Brown challenged participants to manage a “monthly salary” during her lively “Budget 101” workshop held on March 14 at Republic Bank St. Maarten. As expenses such as GEBE, groceries, rent, mortgages, internet, and other household bills were added to the list, many were surprised to see just how quickly their paycheck disappeared.
The interactive workshop, organized in collaboration with Republic Bank St. Maarten and financial educator Mrs. Shanica Ravenburg-Carty of the BudgetBae, brought together Brown’s fellow Teen contestants and invited guests for an afternoon of learning, discussion, and shared experiences.
Brown, who also serves as a Personal Loan Officer at Republic Bank St. Maarten, introduced the initiative as part of her pageant platform. As the first contestant to bring financial literacy forward as a pageantry platform, she wanted to create a space where conversations about money could feel engaging, relatable, and even fun.
“Financial Literacy doesn’t have to be complicated’, Mrs. Ravenburg-Carty shared. “ I fully recommend to parents to always have fun and engaging conversations with their children on how money works early”. They will gain the confidence to make smarter decisions for their future.
Ms. Judith Bain, Business Support Manager representing Republic Bank St. Maarten, commended the initiative and the positive environment created during the workshop.
“Financial literacy is an important life skill, and it is encouraging to see young people learning about money in such an engaging and relatable way,” Ms. Bain shared.
Breyenne Brown expressed heartfelt gratitude to everyone who contributed to making the workshop a success.
“I’m truly grateful to everyone who came out to support this initiative,” Brown shared. “Seeing my fellow Teen contestants and invited guests participate, laugh, and learn together made this sisterhood experience incredibly special. I would also like to thank Mrs. Ravenburg-Carty of the BudgetBae, Ms. Judith Bain, my Republic Bank family, sponsors, Amisha Lake, Vanesia James, Alexander Marlin, SCDF Pageant Committee, as well as the parents and chaperones for their continued support.”
With her community initiatives now complete, Brown now prepares for the highly anticipated Senior Carnival Queen Pageant on April 20th at the Jocelyn Arindell Festival Village and warmly invites the public to come out and enjoy a vibrant evening celebrating the beauty, talent, and spirit of Carnival.