Hinsdale South Economics Team Earns 2nd Place in Illinois Economics Challenge State Final

Submitted by Hinsdale Township High School District 86.
Photo: Nancy Harrison, Executive Director of Econ Illinois, with students Holli Jones, Aidan Kelly, Tanner Andrulis and Joseph O’Shea, along with Team Sponsor Jeff Waterman

Hinsdale, IL - Hinsdale South High School today congratulated the Economics Team for its second place overall finish at the 2016 Illinois Economics Challenge state finals, a program of Econ Illinois. The event was held April 6 at the Federal Reserve Bank in Chicago and involved 40 high school students competing for the championship title. The team finished in second place in microeconomics, first in macroeconomics and first in in a case study involving pricing strategies.

The Hinsdale South team pulled ahead of eight competing student teams to earn second place to compete in the final “Quiz Bowl” round of the 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.

“This was the 7th year in a row that we’ve made it to the state finals,” said Hinsdale South AP Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics teacher and team sponsor Jeff Waterman. “I am very proud of the work and effort our students put forward each year. This year’s team worked really hard and performed well. It was great to watch them use their talents and be successful at this year’s Econ Challenge.”

Congratulations to students Holli Jones, Aidan Kelly, Tanner Andrulis and Joe O’Shea, as well as sponsor Jeff Waterman.

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.

The 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.

For additional information on Econ Illinois, contact Beth Metzler at 815-753-0356.