A team from Dos Pueblos High beat more than 200 others from throughout California to become champions in the State Economics Challenge last week at Cal State San Bernardino. Homestead High in Cupertino was a co-winner of the competition.
Dos Pueblos was led by students Michael Brand, Angela Dai, Jacob Kovacs-Goodman and Nicholas Su, and their teacher, Roland Lewin.
The academic contest, co-sponsored by the California Council on Economic Education and the Goldman Sachs Foundation, with additional support from the Citi Foundation, emphasizes the mastery of economic concepts. Winners of the state contest advance to a regional competition, and then to the national championship for a chance at cash prizes and an expenses-paid trip to New York City.
Student teams from 12 high schools competed as finalists in each of two divisions. The Adam Smith Division challenges advanced placement, international baccalaureate and honors students, and the David Ricardo Division challenges single-semester general economics students. The 12 teams previously won the online competition, defeating more than 200 teams and 840 students.
High schools selected their top students to compete in four-member teams. The initial competition involved the teams answering test questions, which were administered via a secure Web site. The top teams from the online contest advanced to the state championship, where they competed “live” by answering a rigorous battery of test questions and solving a set of complex economic problems. The winning team in each division advances to the Western Regional Championship in Los Angeles on April 27. The Western Regional Championship consists of the state championship teams from California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. The first-place teams in each regional championship will compete for the National Championship in New York City on May 16-18. More than $100,000 in U.S. Savings Bonds will be awarded.
In addition to Dos Pueblos, student teams vying for the Adam Smith championship included California and Monte Vista highs in San Ramon; The Harker School in San Jose; Long Beach Poly High in Long Beach; and Temple City High in Temple City.
Student teams in the David Ricardo championship were from the California Academy of Math and Science in Carson; Glendora High in Glendora; Homestead High in Cupertino; Lincoln Highin Los Angeles; Mater Dei High in Santa Ana; and Mission San Jose High in Fremont.
About 75 educators, students and parents attended. Monetary gifts of $150 were awarded to the first-place teams and their teacher-coaches for their winning efforts in the state competition.
Click here for more information on the California Council on Economic Education.
Jim Charkins is executive director of the California Council on Economic Education.