Buy Smart Competition winners
Congratulations to the 2023 Buy Smart Competition prize winners who were announced at Parliament House on 26 October 2023.
Learn more about the winning entries for:
Years 4 to 6 winners
First place
Veronica and Sophie, St Dympna's Primary School
First place was awarded to a short film chronicling Veronica and Sophie's adventures in comparative shopping as they plan a trip to see the Barbie movie. As they explore multiple cinema options and consider the additional costs of snacks and transport, Veronica and Sophie discover the great value they can find when they think carefully about their choices. And it features a talking dog!
Second place
Aaron and Noah, Wellers Hill State School
Second place went to a stop-motion animation about smarter shopping in which Aaron and Noah's Lego avatars make choices about what to buy. While Aaron buys the first thing that catches his attention, Noah spends more time considering all the options. This simple story illustrates the importance of telling the difference between needs and wants, and of not rushing our decisions when we spend our money.
Third place
Leticia, St Dympna's Primary School
Third place was given to a stop-motion extravaganza—1,634 individually photographed frames about Jeremiah the Lego man. Jeremiah is having a bad day when he gets an offer that's too good to be true. This well-told narrative shows how a bad mood can be all the distraction it takes to be vulnerable to sneaky scammers.
Highly commended
Highly commended awards went to (in no particular order):
- Bethany, Matilda, Ayla and Mia, Kurwongbah State School for an energetic news report from the city of Scamacia, full of hints and tips—look out, it's cloudy with a chance of scams
- Anuj, St Dympna's Primary School for a narrated PowerPoint explaining the value of comparing the same items at different shops by their unit prices
- Aster, Louise, Sherine and Praveen, Kurwongbah State School for a consumer advice tablecloth full of hints and tips about smarter shopping, finding the best value and sticking to a savings plan.
Years 7 to 9 winners
First place
Ivy, Grace and Jaimee, Loreto College Coorparoo
First place was awarded to the Scam Alert news bulletin that explores and thoroughly explains scam awareness information. The judges were highly impressed by the depth and quality of research that went into this project and the hints and tips provided, including where to go for further information or help.
Second place
Oliver and Kasia, Wavell State High School
Second place went to a short animation that follows the adventures of Buy Smart Man as he offers suggestions and advice to a succession of consumers in need. This was an entertainingly offbeat way to offer high quality information and learning.
Third place
Charlotte, Wavell State High School
Third place was given to a quirky and highly addictive card game that tests knowledge of scam awareness by asking trivia questions. It also poses fun challenges to players, keeping them entertained while they gain knowledge and skills to stay safe.
Highly commended
Highly commended awards went to (in no particular order):
- Amy and Greer, Wavell State High School for a flashcard-style video with consumer advice for online gamers on scam awareness, loot boxes, microtransactions and more
- Aarian, St Paul's School for an energetic YouTube video, hosted with great charisma, offering information and advice about scams and consumer rights
- Zoe and Chelsea, Wavell State High School for an eye-catching short film, with narration and hand-drawings on a whiteboard, and well-targeted advice on budgeting and saving
- Zachary, Trinity College Gladstone for a music video for a rap song about the many considerations that go into buying a first car
- Ema, Clayfield College for a picture book Off to the Shops that covers the product safety and consumer rights aspects of buying a faulty water bottle
- Isabella, Trinity College Gladstone for an interactive workbook guiding teens through buying a car with info, helpful Q&As and space for brainstorming.
Years 10 to 12 winners
First place
Samantha, Nambour State College
First place was awarded to a particularly thorough slideshow that steps users through the process of buying a first car. The level of research was extraordinarily high and the inclusion of a detailed cost-benefit analysis was an excellent feature to help guide the audience through a complex decision-making process.
Second place
Charlie, Aspley State High School
Second place went to a thoroughly researched and constructed website for teens about buying a first car, which was accompanied by an eye-catching poster. The poster cleverly used QR codes to link the audience with the relevant pages on the website.
Third place
Ariana, Holly, Sasha and Mia, Somerset College
Third place was given to a detailed, highly targeted slideshow offering information and advice to young adults on the subject of avoiding scams when shopping online. A beautifully designed and structured presentation that provided detailed information while avoiding the trap of overloading readers.
Highly commended
Highly commended awards went to (in no particular order):
- Alice and Lucy, Aspley State High School for a DL brochure about phishing scams with an eye for effective design and layout, as well as a nose for fish puns
- Darren, Trinity College Gladstone for a digital presentation about buying a car, which focused on the short and long-term costs when choosing a first car
- Jessica, Trinity College Gladstone for a comprehensive digital booklet to help teens with balancing the costs and other priorities when buying a first car.
Commissioner's School Champion Prize
This prize went to Cairns State High School Year 9 Business Studies students, who study consumer and financial literacy topics across the year. The school takes part in various competitions which help motivate their students to learn and grow. They use the Buy Smart competition to showcase their research and presentation skills as part of their project-based learning experience.
The students submitted very good quality Buy Smart projects this year and last year, narrowly missing out on prizes. It was clear they'd taken the time to carefully consider their audience and the best way to communicate.