GoHenry, the financial education app and prepaid debit card for kids and teens, is thrilled to reveal the winners of its annual Dream Big competition, including 10-year-old Emilia from Llanelli, South Wales. The initiative supports the ambitions of Gen Z and Gen Alpha by awarding nine inspiring young people a £1,000 grant to help bring their dreams to life.
The competition received an impressive 6,000+ entries from kids aged 6-18 across three categories: Community, Talent, and Kidpreneur. A panel of judges – freestyle footballer Lia Lewis, teen baker Zak Traves, and community leader Courtney Daniella Boateng – along with a GoHenry and public vote, selected the final winners from a shortlist of 22 exceptional finalists.
Emilia won the public vote in the talent category with her passion for climbing. Emilia has quickly become one of the top under-14 bouldering athletes in the country, despite starting just a year ago. Using her prize winnings, Emilia has already funded some 1-2-1 sessions with a renowned champion climbing coach, which is a crucial step toward her goal of representing Team GB in the 2032 Olympics.
Emilia said: “I feel really happy to have won the prize – I can’t stop smiling! The next step for me climbing wise is to up my training during the winter months and get on the wall as much as I can before 2025’s competition season begins.”
Louise Hill, GoHenry’s co-founder and CEO, commented: “Gen Z and Generation Alpha never cease to amaze me with their creativity, drive, and compassion. I always encourage young people to embrace opportunities and take action – just as the ‘go’ in GoHenry implies. It’s inspiring to see so many kids and teens doing just that. Huge congratulations to Emilia and all our winners!”
