York Wins Illinois Economics Challenge

Submitted by Elmhurst Community Unit School District 205.

Elmhurst, IL - York High School has achieved another great success in the Econ Challenge competition.

York qualified three teams to the Illinois state competition on April 6, where the top 10 in the state were invited to compete for the state title.

The event, held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, involved 40 high school students competing for the championship title.

York outscored Hinsdale South High School, after a close final “Quiz Bowl” round of competition.

The first place team of John Fetscher, Jason Kentra, Frank Luse, Flanagan Waldherr, along with coaches Tamra Carl and Jessica Weldon, received a trophy and framed certificate for their school, plus individual medals, certificates, and Visa gift cards.

A second and third team of York students, Jack Anderson, Brennan McGovern, Brandon Parr and Peter Salek, as well as Ioan Draganov, Lucas Gough, Olivia Gough and Claire Meyer, also participated in the state competition.

The championship event consisted of individual and team written tests, a case study presentation judged by financial sector leaders and the final quiz bowl round of competition.

The York High School team advances to the National Semi-Finals round of competition, held as an online proctored test April 26, with other State Finalist teams across the country. The on-site test is required for each first place state team in participating states competing to advance to the National Finals competition. The top scoring teams from four states will qualify for the 2016 National Economics Challenge, held in New York City from May 20-23.

“We are so proud of our students,” said Jessica Weldon, research and social studies chair at York Community High School. “This is a hardworking, intelligent group of students. They work well as a team and have excelled in their AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics courses this year. Econ Challenge provides a competitive environment for them to enhance their economic knowledge and communication skills. Go Dukes!”

The Illinois Economics Challenge (ILEC) is a program of Econ Illinois and the Centers of Economic Education throughout Illinois. Partial 2016 funding is provided through BMO Harris with in-kind support provided by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. This year 498 Illinois students participated in the on-line preliminary round of competition in March, with 10 teams qualifying for the state event. The program, endorsed by the Illinois STEM Finance Learning Exchange, is a private Money Smart Week event.

ILEC is designed to recognize Advanced Placement students who demonstrate high levels of comprehension and application of economics concepts and skills; and to reward their teachers for outstanding practices in teaching AP economics courses. The National Association of Secondary School Principals has placed this program on the NASSP National Advisory List of Contests and Activities for 2015–2016.

Econ Illinois provides economic and financial literacy programs and services starting at the elementary level and extending throughout adulthood, enabling individuals to participate effectively in the economy. Founded in 1951, Econ Illinois is an educational not-for profit 501(c)(3) and a unit of the NIU Division of Outreach, Engagement, and Regional Development.