Secondary School Novska wins Hanfa competition
The video created by pupils of the Secondary School Novska has won Hanfa’s competition “Caught in the Web – Spot the Scam!”. The award ceremony was held today at Hanfa’s premises to mark the Global and European Money Week. The winning entry, i.e., school, received an interactive display as the main prize, along with a certificate and symbolic gifts for the pupils.
The aim of the competition was to raise awareness among pupils about the risks of financial fraud and to strengthen their ability to recognize suspicious offers, especially in the context of increasingly sophisticated online scams. Secondary school pupils from all parts of Croatia participated by submitting short videos, and this year the competition drew as many as 37 entries.
When evaluating the submissions, Hanfa’s three-member jury assessed creativity and innovation in expression, but even more the pupils’ understanding and presentation of financial fraud issues and ways to protect their own money. The goal was to educate and encourage young people to think carefully about financial scams, particularly those encountered online and on social media.
At the award ceremony, Anamarija Staničić, Deputy President of Hanfa Board, congratulated the winning team and thanked the mentor and pupils for recognizing the importance of financial education as a key skill for their future. She stated: “We chose the topic of fraud because we are witnessing a growing number of different types of scams, not only in Croatia but also worldwide. Fraudsters often use the internet, social media, and various digital platforms to obtain money or personal information. Interestingly, many pupils portrayed romantic scams in their videos – a type of fraud that is rapidly increasing globally. Such scams exploit our emotions and trust, which is why it is important to talk about them, recognize them, and know how to respond.”
Mentor Zdenka Marton also commented on receiving the award, expressing her gratitude and noting: “Every year we submit an entry to Hanfa’s competition, and in 2024 we placed second. After this year’s topic was announced, we immediately started research work and assigned team roles. Our video highlighted the traps of the modern digital environment, especially those promising quick, easy, and secure earnings.” She emphasized that participating in such extracurricular activities helps pupils acquire essential knowledge, skills, and attitudes about money management in a creative and fun way. She added that this award is just one among several the school has recently won in the field of financial literacy.
Dorotea Božić, senior-year economics pupil and representative of the winning team, reflected on the video production process: “We learned that financial and investment scams are very common and that we need to understand them to protect ourselves from potential financial loss. Our video showed what these scams look like, how to recognize them, and how to protect ourselves. We also learned how teamwork contributes to producing a high-quality, creative piece.”
Headteacher Nikolina Fijačko Filipović emphasized that every award is first and foremost recognition of the effort and work invested, providing motivation for new challenges in working with pupils. “Zdenka Marton tirelessly organizes additional activities and projects for her pupils to strengthen their financial literacy. This isn’t the first recognition for her work; she has won several of your competitions and similar ones in the field of financial literacy. I am very proud of her work with the pupils,” she said.
In addition to the winning entry, the runner-up was also announced: Zvane Črnja Secondary School in Rovinj, while the School of Economics and Office Administration in Bjelovar placed third.
This award ceremony is only one of many Hanfa’s activities within the Global and European Money Week framework. Besides participating in numerous educational events, Hanfa will continue holding numerous lectures for primary and secondary school pupils and university students, extending its year‑round educational efforts.
