The Importance of Economic Education 

The webinar began with a discussion on the critical role of economic education in shaping the financial futures of young people. Dr. Davidson emphasized that economics is fundamentally about decision-making and understanding scarcity. She explained, “Economics, at its core, is all about decision making. It’s about the fact that scarcity exists. We can’t have everything we want and we have to make choices”. This knowledge and the tools to analyze and make decisions smartly is essential for students to navigate their personal and professional lives effectively. 

Dr. Hill highlighted the Federal Reserve’s long-standing commitment to economic education, which dates back to the 1970s. He noted that understanding how the economy works, and the role of the Federal Reserve can help individuals make better decisions, ultimately leading to a more stable and prosperous economy.  

The State of Economic and Personal Finance Education 

Ms. Patterson provided an overview of the current landscape of economic and personal finance education in the U.S. She shared that 28 states require at least one course in economics to graduate, and 35 states require at least one course in personal finance. Despite this progress, there is still much work to be done to ensure that all students actually receive this essential education and when they do, that it is from a teacher who is qualified and trained in the subject. 

Dr. Davidson and Dr. Hill discussed the challenges of implementing these requirements at the state level. They noted that education standards are often reevaluated every 5 to 10 years, and the process can be slow and complex. However, they stressed the importance of continued advocacy and collaboration to expand access to economic and personal finance education. 

The Multiplier Effect of Teaching Teachers 

One of the key themes of the webinar was the multiplier effect of teaching teachers. Dr. Hill explained “If you work with a teacher and you spend hours or a day training a teacher, those teachers are then, for the rest of their career going to share those lessons and experiences with their own students for many years to come” This approach ensures a high return on investment and helps reach a larger number of students. 

Dr. Davidson shared her experience in Nebraska, where teachers are now required to take more credit hours in economics as part of their certification. She emphasized the importance of providing ongoing professional development for teachers to keep them engaged and effective in the classroom. 

Collaboration and Innovation in Economic Education 

The webinar also highlighted the importance of collaboration among various organizations involved in economic education. Dr. Hill mentioned the long-standing partnership between the Federal Reserve and CEE, which has resulted in numerous successful programs and initiatives. Dr. Davidson added that state councils and centers for economic education play a crucial role in supporting teachers and students at the local level. 

Ms. Patterson shared examples of innovative programs, such as the National Economics Challenge and the National Personal Finance Challenge, which engage students in competitive and interactive learning experiences. These programs not only enhance students’ understanding of economics and personal finance but also provide valuable skills for their future careers. 

Ms. Patterson also emphasized the broader impact of economic education, stating, “Ensuring that students have a foundational understanding of economics is a critical building block for them to have healthy financial lives. And it doesn’t stop just at those individuals who are reached, but also their families, their communities. And when we think about that in aggregate, that’s how we get a stronger economy and a more stable financial system” 

Conclusion 

The CEE webinar underscored the vital importance of economic education in preparing young people for their futures. By continuing to advocate for these subjects, supporting teachers, and fostering collaboration, we can ensure that all students have the knowledge and skills they need to make informed financial decisions. As Dr. Davidson aptly put it, “Economics is a superpower for understanding the world around you” 

Updated National K-12 Economics Standards are coming this June! 

The Voluntary National Content Standards offer economics content standards. Each standard is an essential principle of economics that an economically literate student should know and a statement of what the student should be able to do with that knowledge at grades 4, 8, and upon graduating from high school.  

Sign up to receive your copy this summer:

A Few Statistics on Economic Education 

• Taking more economics is significantly related to higher levels of earning, home equity, and savings.  

• Research indicates that 6 in 10 teachers earned no course credits in economics during their undergraduate studies. Of teachers certified to teach social studies, 40% did not take an undergraduate course in economics. 

Watch the Event Recording

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post Inspiring the Next Generation: Insights from the CEE Webinar on Building Economic Literacy  appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

What are two actions that the Federal Reserve might take to combat inflation? 

If the average cost of producing four cars is $20,000 and the average cost of producing five cars is $22,000, what is the marginal cost of producing the fifth car? 

Racing to answer more than 20 rapid-fire questions like those in just 20 seconds per question, high school students from around the country competed near the heart of Wall Street to earn honors as best in America in the Council for Economic Education’s 2024 National Economics Challenge (NEC). 

And they made it look easy. 

Capping a school year during which nearly 8,000 students competed across the USA, teams from Mt. Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Maryland, swept the final competition in New York with first-place finishes in both of the NEC’s divisions for advanced and for first-time competitors. It’s the seventh straight NEC competition in which the Howard County public school emerged as a national champion or finalist. 

Students from Phillips Exeter Academy (Exeter, New Hampshire), BASIS Mesa (Mesa, Arizona) and Novi High School (Novi, Michigan) finished second, third and fourth in the Adam Smith advanced division. Teams from Hunter College High School (New York, NY), Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School (Bloomfield Hills, Michigan) and Lambert High School (Suwanee, Georgia) were runners-up in the David Ricardo division. 

Members of each team were allowed to confer for only seconds before jotting down responses for expert judges to instantly review. The serious but fun competition is designed to encourage a deep understanding of economics through both a case study round and the final quiz round. 

“The analytic and problem-solving skills built by studying economics can be applied to issues of our day that are relevant to our students, today and in their futures,” said Nan J. Morrison, CEE president and chief executive officer. 

But only half the states require a course in economics, according to CEE’s 2024 Survey of the States. 

“Requiring economics and personal finance courses in all high schools gives every student the real-world skills they need to create fulfilling lives on their own terms,” Morrison added. 

“We congratulate and thank the students, teachers and our CEE affiliates around the country for making economics education available and exciting through the National Economics Challenge and each and every classroom,” she said. 

The winners of the 2024 NEC Adam Smith Division: 

First place: Mt. Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Maryland

• Praneeth Idamakanti, Nandhu Manoj Pillai, Mehin Pandya, Diego Salamanca Murphy 

• Coach: Vann Prime 

Second place: Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire

• Steven Chen, Dhruv Nagarajan, Tanay Nandan, Eli Orbach 

• Coach: Aykut Kilinc 

Third place: BASIS Mesa in Mesa, Arizona

• Elias Chang, Vinesh Kothari, Ximo Liu, Daniel Yang 

• Coach: Greg Thorson 

Fourth place: Novi High School in Novi, Michigan

• Harsh Ahire, Lalitaditya Akkaraju Arvind Salem, Ishaan Sid 

• Coach: Darcie Moss 

The top teams in this year’s NEC David Ricardo Division: 

First place: Mt. Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Maryland

• Joseph Jeong, Aarush Kejriwal, Vishva Rao, Nick Venginickal 

• Coach: Vann Prime 

Second place: Hunter College High School in New York, NY

• Xiayang Huang, Winnie Mok, Joseph Ponda, Alexie Varah 

• Coach: Ellen Fox 

Third place: Cranbrook Kingswood Upper School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan

• Toluwani Adebayo, Pingkang Qian, Junho Seo, Alexander Wang 

• Coach: Christopher Schotten 

Fourth place: Lambert High School in Suwanee, Georgia

• Arhan Barve, Shlok Bhatt, Shivam Gupta. Balaskanda Sivanandame 

• Coach: Rupal Gupta 

In subsequent international rounds, the Mt. Hebron teams also outscored China’s championship Shanghai Pinghe School team in their David Ricardo division and Shanghai Starriver Bilingual School in their Adam Smith division. 

All members of the winning teams are awarded cash prizes. CNBC senior economics reporter Steve Liesman asked the questions and moderated the final rounds for both divisions which were televised live and online on CNBC. 

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post National Economics Challenge Winners 2024 appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

The evening started with a festive cocktail hour and live music from Steve Liesman, Nate DeBrine, and Clare Maloney. Attendees were used to seeing Steve on their TV screens as CNBC’s Senior Economics Reporter and enjoyed seeing him rock the room! 

CEE President and CEO, Nan Morrison, and CEE Board Chair, Rebecca Patterson, kicked off the evening’s program connecting meaningful moments in recent history with the evolution of CEE. Looking to the future, they announced our $7.5M for 75 Years Campaign to continue and expand CEE’s important work. 

The program quickly turned its attention to teachers with the presentation of the 2024 Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Teaching Champion Awards, which recognizes excellence in high school economic educators for the New York Metropolitan area. This year’s winners are: 

• Halle Amore Bauer, High School Economics and Modern World History Teacher, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Bronx, NY 
• Diana Isern, High School Personal Finance and Investments Teacher, Brooklyn Preparatory High School, Brooklyn, NY 
• Marta Lieberman, 12th grade Economics/Government and AP Economics Teacher, Francis Lewis High School, Fresh Meadows, NY 

Halle Amore Bauer shared, “I want students to leave my class knowing that economics is a tool that can be used to create a more just world. A strong understanding of economic concepts like incentives, tradeoffs, and sustainability can empower students to make choices that benefit not only themselves, but humanity.” 

Attendees also enjoyed hearing from students who have participated in CEE programs: Laura Adomaa, Invest in Girls student from the Frederick Douglass Academy; Victor Robila, New York State Personal Finance Challenge winner from Hunter College High School; and Lorelei Loraine, National Economics Challenge champion presently at Columbia University. These students are wonderful examples of the impact CEE programs has on the lives of students and gave many of us hope for a thoughtful and productive next generation. 

As part of our 75^th anniversary celebration, we had a special on-stage appearance from Jay Lanstein, who was on the winning team of the inaugural National Economics Challenge, held in 2001.

We finished our evening with the Honorees Fireside Chat with Glenn Hutchins, Chairman of North Island and North Island Ventures & Co-Founder of Silver Lake, and Gary H. Stern, Former President and CEO of the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, in conversation with Steve Leisman, CNBC Senior Economics Reporter. Glenn and Gary were recognized for their contributions and the audience enjoyed listening to their perspectives and insights on the world economy.  

Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, CEE’s Diamond Gala hit a new record – $811,000 surpassing our evening’s goal to raise 10% of our 75th Anniversary Campaign goal of $7.5M.  These donations will help CEE ensure every student in America is taught essential financial and economic basics from kindergarten through high school. 

Thank you to our sponsors and to every guest who made this event such a success. We can’t wait for next year! 

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post 2024 Diamond Gala appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

Attendees enjoying each other’s company before the start of the program 

This year’s breakfast featured Valerie Mosley, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BrightUp who was interviewed by Rebecca Patterson, CEE Board Chair and Former Chief Investment Strategist at Bridgewater Associates. Their discussion underscored the significance of financial well-being and the pivotal role women can play in shaping the future of finance. 

Valerie Mosley, Founder and Chief Visionary Officer of BrightUp with Rebecca Patterson, CEE Board Chair and Former Chief Investment Strategist at Bridgewater Associates.

The event also put a spotlight on two exceptional students, Julia and Emely, who shared their experiences as participants in the Invest in Girls program. They were in conversation with Dahiana Duarte Pena, CEE Associate Board Member and Vice President, Product Development Manager at Eastern Bank. Their stories illustrated the transformative power of IIG in fostering knowledge, confidence, curiosity, and new opportunities. Julia and Emely embody the potential that IIG unlocks for young women. 

Nan J. Morrison, CEO, Council for Economic Education, Invest in Girls students Julia and Emely, and Dahiana Duarte Pena, CEE Associate Board Member and Vice President, Product Development Manager at Eastern Bank.

Thanks to the generosity of sponsors and supporters, Invest in Girls can continue to keep girls connected to role models and offer them career advice and educational resources. The resounding success of this year’s fundraising efforts reflects the shared commitment to creating a future where more women thrive in finance. Thank you to everyone who contributed to making this event a meaningful experience for all involved. 

If you were not able to attend the breakfast, the opportunity to make a difference is still open! Consider making a gift today to support IIG’s ongoing efforts. Your generosity will help us reach and teach more girls. 

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post Champions of Financial Literacy Breakfast 2023 appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

This year’s workshops, taught by respected educators and subject matter-experts, provided teachers with creative and engaging ways to teach the fundamentals of economics and personal finance and stay abreast of new teaching technologies. This year, we offered workshops on topics such as: 

• Inviting AI Into Your Econ & Personal Finance Classroom 
• Black History and EPF: An Imperative Alliance 
• Monetary Policy — The Past, The Present, The Future, and Easy to Understand! 
• TikTok Stocks: Insider Teaching Activities 

With over 29 exhibitors, teachers were able to bring back a host of new materials and resources to their classroom. Our agenda also offered collaborative roundtable discussions and time for networking, so teachers could get to know others in their field of work. 

One of the highlights of the conference was the keynote presentation by Brandon Copeland, a 10-year NFL veteran, speaker, educator, and advocate. Copeland’s inspiring words resonated with the audience, emphasizing the importance of financial literacy and education in shaping the future of our youth. 

The CEE’s mission to equip K-12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics came to life during this remarkable two-day event. Teachers raved about the lessons and were excitedly sharing how they would incorporate these new ideas into their classrooms.  

After the conference, one teacher from Michigan shared: 

“This may be the best conference I’ve ever attended! The sessions were so informational and full of engaging and exciting econ lessons that I can use immediately in my classes! I will be forever thankful!” 

Hear from some more of our teacher attendees:

The 2024 Financial Literacy and Economic Education Conference will be held in Cleveland Ohio September 27-28. We can’t wait for next year! 

Thank you to our 2023 sponsors!

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post Learning Together: 2023 Educator Conference appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

The National Personal Finance Challenge (NPFC) is a nationwide competition that offers high school students the opportunity to build and demonstrate their knowledge in the concepts of earning income, spending, saving, investing, managing credit, and managing risk.   

In the first round, competitors complete a 30-question, online rapid-fire exam. In regional and national finals, students use what they have learned from the six areas of knowledge to create a financial plan for a fictitious family scenario. This year, the students wowed us with their ability to advise the Wallace family in this year’s case study on important real-life personal finance matters such as calculating a retirement age, budgeting for a mortgage, car payments, education, and caring for elderly parents. We invite you to watch the recording of the presentations on the CEE YouTube channel.  

“Understanding the basics of personal finance unlocks a wealth of opportunities for life,” said Nan. J. Morrison, CEE president and chief executive officer. “We congratulate this year’s NPFC championship teams and all the students, teachers and CEE affiliates who bring these essential skills to life in competitions and in classrooms.”  

The National Personal Finance Challenge is supported by Voya Financial, as part of its mission to make secure financial futures possible — one person, one family, one institution at a time. Together with Voya Foundation, Voya works to support programming around the country that prepares students for the workforce of the future and to manage their future income through life to a secure retirement.   

Winning schools, team members and teachers in the 2023 NPFC national finals are: 

Congratulations!! 
 
 
About the Council for Economic Education  
 
The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program. Learn more at CouncilForEconEd.org and on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. 
 
About Voya Financial® 
 
Voya Financial, Inc. (NYSE: VOYA), is a leading health, wealth and investment company with 7,200 employees who are focused on achieving Voya’s aspirational vision: Clearing your path to financial confidence and a more fulfilling life. Through products, solutions and technologies, Voya helps its 14.7 million individual, workplace and institutional clients become well planned, well invested and well protected. Benefitfocus, a Voya company, extends the reach of Voya’s workplace benefits and savings offerings by providing benefits administration capabilities to 16.5 million individual subscription employees across employer and health plan clients. Certified as a “Great Place to Work” by the Great Place to Work® Institute, Voya is purpose-driven and equally committed to conducting business in a way that is socially, environmentally, economically and ethically responsible. Voya has earned recognition as: one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by the Ethisphere Institute; a member of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index; and a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” on the Disability Equality Index. For more information, visit voya.com. Follow Voya Financial on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter. 
 
 
For more information and school team photos, email press@councilforeconed.org  
 

The post National Personal Finance Challenge Winners 2023  appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

We’re excited that this year classmates, teachers, families, and fans of personal finance will be able to watch the finals live on the CEE YouTube channel. The final round is comprised of a case study presentation, where students use what they have learned from the six areas of knowledge to create a financial plan for a fictitious family scenario. Tune in on Monday, June 5 at 1:00 p.m. ET. We’re sure you’ll be impressed with this year’s competitors!! Watch the livestream here.  

The NPFC has been generously sponsored by Voya Financial since 2015. “As a company that’s laser focused on financial wellness as a whole, we needed a program that could teach everything and have the potential to reach every kid who needed it. We were introduced to CEE and the Challenge, and the rest is history,” says Braeden Mayrisch, Vice President of Stakeholder Equity and Impact at Voya Financial. 

Once again, congratulations to the winners. We can’t wait to see you at finals!  

2023 National Personal Finance Challenge Finalists: 

Vestavia Hills High School, Alabama 

Tuscaloosa County High School, Alabama 

Hamilton High School, Arizona 

Arkansas School for Mathematics, Sciences, and the Arts, Arkansas 

Adrian Wilcox High School, California 

Dunwoody High School, Georgia 

Salem High School, Georgia 

Kenwood Academy High School, Illinois 

Naperville Central High School, Illinois 

Andover High School, Kansas 

Applications and Research Laboratory, Maryland 

Edgewood High School, Maryland 

Brockton High School, Massachusetts 

Somerville High School, Massachusetts 

Chelsea High School, Michigan 

Hopkins High School, Minnesota 

Holmes County Central High School, Mississippi 

Germantown High School, Mississippi 

Hannibal Career and Technical Center, Missouri 

Skyview High School, Montana 

Ravenna Senior High, Nebraska 

Hunter College High School, New York 

Lenoir County Early College High School, North Carolina 

Raleigh Charter High School, North Carolina 

Madeira High School, Ohio 

Edmond Memorial High School, Oklahoma 

Baldwin High School, Pennsylvania 

North Kingstown Senior High School, Rhode Island 

Woonsocket High School, Rhode Island 

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, Virginia 

Plano West Senior High School, Texas 

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post 2023 National Personal Finance Challenge Finalists  appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

“Our congratulations to the top finishers, the finalists and indeed to all students and educators who participated in the National Economics Challenge this year,” said Nan J. Morrison, CEE President and CEO. “For these students, economics is not a mystery or a puzzle. The NEC makes learning economics fun by asking each team to apply its skills and knowledge to real world problems, while promoting collaboration and teamwork along with a healthy dose of competition – all useful capabilities for their futures.”

The winners of the 2023 NEC Adam Smith Division for advanced and returning competitors are:

The top teams in this year’s NEC David Ricardo Division for first-time competitors who have taken no more than one economic course are:

If you missed the finals and want to be wowed by the competitors’ economic knowledge, you can watch the recording here on CNBC’s YouTube channel.

Congratulations to all! We can’t wait for next year!

About the Council on Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K-12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities. We work to ensure financial and economic education is required for K-12 students throughout the U.S., connecting them to and ultimately strengthening the broader economy. Through CEE’s array of programs, resources, and trained educators, we bring this vital knowledge to over 4,000,000 K-12 students each year. In partnership with our 200 affiliates nationwide, we provide training and tools to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to students. Additionally, we deeply engage students through our competitions and career programs helping them build critical career capabilities – communication, collaboration, presentation and critical thinking skills.

The post Congratulations to the NEC Winners! appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

Simon Jarcho teaches economics, statistics, and math to grades 11-12 at Avenues: The World School in NYC. At Avenues, Simon’s Philosophy of Economics elective focuses on everything from the application of foundational economic concepts and theory to decisions in public policy. He also advises the Economics Club and the Getting to College Project, a student-led organization committed to expanding access to college counseling services in underserved school communities. Simon shared, “Economic education and exposure to social sciences, provides students with a toolkit to better understand and engage with the world around them. By imparting upon students an awareness of incentives and how they impact decisions – from ‘big picture’ macroeconomic decisions that drive public policy down to daily choices about how we as individuals allocate our scarce resources – I believe that we empower young adults to be more civically engaged and better equipped to participate in productive discourse.” 

Christopher Power teaches economics, virtual enterprise, and technology to grades 9-12 at Francis Lewis High School in Fresh Meadows, NY. Christopher’s passion for finance and economics translates to unique and often loud (but entertaining!) lessons and discussion. Christopher focuses on brining real world experiences into the classroom. Lessons include building pitch decks, analyzing economic data, calculating mortgage payments, managing money, and more. Christopher’s teaching approach is extremely popular with the students: he has grown the business program from 68 to 306 students per year. What matters to him most is creating career ready students who are capable of making calculated life and financial decisions. Christopher shared, “Financial literacy and economic education buys freedom. Evidence suggests 80% of people are financially illiterate. So, contrary to popular belief, money is not the root of all evil, the lack of financial literacy is.” 

Robert Sckalor teaches global studies, economics, and AP U.S. Politics and Government to grades 10-12 at the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, NY. Robert credits the book Freakonomics as the transformational moment in his life where he developed a love for all things economics, and he wants his students to feel just as inspired about the subject. In his economics classes, you can find his students playing a risk-aversion investing game or shopping around for their “accident Wednesday” insurance. Robert recently shared, “Developing strong financial literacy skills and the ability to respond rationally to economic incentives is the compounding interest of life. You won’t see gains early, but in the long run you’ll be incredibly thankful for your literacy and decision-making skills.”  

Simon, Christopher, and Robert’s commitment to their students is an inspiration to us all. We are grateful for the impact they have had on the lives of countless students. Congratulations! 

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post Teaching Champion Award Winners 2023  appeared first on Council for Economic Education.

Guests connecting during the Visionary Awards cocktail reception.

The evening began with a cocktail reception, during which attendees had the opportunity to network and socialize. The room was abuzz with excitement as guests caught up with old friends and colleagues and made new connections. The reception was followed by a formal dinner, where attendees enjoyed a delicious meal and listened to inspiring speeches from students and teachers. An eight-year-old wowed the room with his thoughts on the economics of PlayStations and emcee Steve Liesman, CNBC Senior Economics Reporter, kept the room laughing with his economics quiz and personal finance puns.  

One of the highlights of the evening was the presentation of the Visionary Awards, which recognizes individuals who have made exceptional contributions to the advancement of personal finance and economic education. This year’s honorees included Brandon Copeland, 10 Year NFL Veteran, Speaker, Educator and Advocate, Richard Fisher, Senior Advisor to Barclays and Former President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Michelle Meyer, Chief Economist of U.S. Mastercard Economics Institute, and Hal Varian, Chief Economist at Google. The honorees participated in a fireside chat, moderated by CEE Board Chair Rebecca Patterson, where honorees shared their thoughts on how education and the U.S. economy are intertwined. This event raised over $500,000, which will help CEE ensure every student in America is taught essential financial and economic basics from kindergarten through high school.   

Overall, the 2023 Visionary Awards Benefit was an inspiring and uplifting event that celebrated the achievements of those who are dedicated to promoting personal finance and economic education. As the world becomes increasingly complex and interconnected, it is more important than ever to ensure that young people have the knowledge and skills they need to succeed in the global economy. Thank you to our sponsors and to every guest who made this event such a success. We can’t wait for next year! 

About the Council for Economic Education

The Council for Economic Education’s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways.  We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.

Media contact: 

CEE: press@councilforeconed.org 

The post Visionary Awards Benefit 2023  appeared first on Council for Economic Education.