Loyola’s Bateman team put on a Voodoo King Pageant to see who is financially literate enough to win the heart of the team’s mascot, Lola Doll.

Lola Doll is a voodoo doll, “Your Financial Ally” and good luck charm to help others make good financial decisions.

Lola Doll’s Facebook says, “I’m here to help you boost your money mojo and make good financial decisions. I changed my life for the better because I became financially literate. Now, it’s time for me to share the wealth and help others understand the benefits of good credit and budget skills, as well as to know the tools available to help you out with your finances.”

The emcee for the evening was Dominique Webb, mass communication senior.

The judges were Janece Bell, mass communication junior, Rebecca Molyneux, mass communication senior, Kelsey Morris, mass communication senior and Kelsey Pabst, mass communication junior. Together they make up the Loyola Bateman team.

The night consisted of a question-and-answer session, finance-themed dance-off and a contest centered on realistically planning a date with minimal amounts of money.

The contestants were Michael Morin, music education senior, Zachary Lombardo, music industry business senior, Jermarco Britton, music business freshman, Lee Slan, mass communication junior, and Jack Herrick, English freshman.

From the question-and-answer portion of the pageant, Webb explained a budget, the five categories of a good budget and what it means to ‘pay yourself first.’

“To ‘pay yourself first’ is to take a total income and subtract five to 10 percent and set it aside for savings,” said Webb.

Contestants showed off their dance skills in the “money mambo,” “funky finance,” “credit score square dance” and the “budget bump.”

The contestants were then given an imaginary amount of money and from that were instructed to plan a date for Lola Doll.

The winner of the Voodoo King Pageant, Lombardo, planned a date on $15 that consisted of a “long walk, seven or eight miles, to the Quarter to a gas station and gumbo restaurant place. I know a guy who owes me money so we could take the streetcar back to campus.”

Cathy Rogers, associate professor of mass communication and adviser of the Bateman team, explains that “financial literacy is to live within your means, to make good decisions and to save.”

Jasmine Barnes can be reached at [email protected]