Iş Bank rewards over 3,800 young individuals in 53 years with the "Golden Youth" initiative

Foreks - Türkiye İş Bankası’s "Golden Youth" initiative, which was launched in 1971 to reward students who excelled in the university entrance exams, has recognized over 3,800 young individuals in its 53-year history. In 2024, 83 "Golden Youth" who demonstrated outstanding success in the Higher Education Institutions Exam (YKS) and earned the right to study at leading universities in Turkey received their awards during a ceremony attended by İş Bankası General Manager Hakan Aran.

The annual Golden Youth award ceremony, held since 1971, saw participation this year from students who placed in the top 30 in the numerical, equal weight, verbal, and language raw score categories of the YKS, along with their families and teachers.

"Behaviors rewarded by societies become a part of their culture." İş Bankası General Manager Hakan Aran emphasized during the ceremony that they have turned many projects into traditions that they have sustained for many years. He stated, "For a behavior or an action to become a part of our culture, it needs to be repeated frequently. While rewarding our Golden Youth and holding these ceremonies as a ritual every year, we believe that behaviors rewarded by societies become a part of their culture, encouraging and empowering the youth. If academic success is rewarded in a society, our children will be motivated to repeat that success, strive for better, and expand their dreams and goals."

Hakan Aran noted that the success achieved today was due to the many sacrifices made by the youth and their families. He also mentioned that Daron Acemoğlu, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Economics this year, had previously been among the Golden Youth. Aran said, "I wish for the young individuals receiving awards today to engage in work that deserves a Nobel Prize or at least becomes a candidate for it, and I hope we can direct the energy of our youth towards achieving such successes."

Aran advised the young individuals not to fall into the trap of seeing the university entrance exam as a primary goal, reminding them that it is merely a tool. He expressed, "I sincerely hope that in the coming years, a Golden Youth will present this award as the General Manager of İş Bankası at a similar ceremony."

In 53 years, more than 3,800 young people... The Golden Youth initiative, which started with 8 students 53 years ago, has now rewarded over 3,800 students. In 2024, awards were collectively presented to 83 students who ranked in the top 30 in the numerical, equal weight, verbal, and language raw score categories of the YKS. In addition to their achievement plaques, the students received a monetary award of 30,000 TL and an InterRail Global Pass ticket, allowing them to travel by train across Europe.