Norris, McCook high schools win Nebraska Economics Challenge

Released on 04/10/2006, at 2:00 AM
Office of University Communications
University of Nebraska–Lincoln
Lincoln, Neb., April 10th, 2006 —

Teams from Norris and McCook high schools won their divisions at the Nebraska Economics Challenge April 1 at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln to win all-expense-paid trips to the Regional Economics Challenge April 22-23 at Minneapolis.

The event tested teams of high school economics students on their knowledge of the subject. Teams, divided into two divisions, competed in four rounds. The first rounds consisted of an assessment of their knowledge of topics related to macroeconomics (the study of our economy as a whole), microeconomics (the study of the economic behavior of individuals, businesses and industries) and international economics. They answered multiple-choice questions and a team score was comprised of the top three individual scores.

Following the first three rounds, the two teams with the highest scores in each division advanced to the final round where they orally answered questions in a quiz-bowl format. In the final round, Norris defeated Lincoln Northeast in the Adam Smith Division and McCook defeated Ashland-Greenwood to win the David Ricardo Division.

The Norris team included Evan Egger, Andrew Keralis, Kyle Lococo, Shane Lowe and Eric Price under teacher Sidney Conrad. The members of the McCook team were Melinda Haas, Forrest Kain, Daniel McCarville and Jared Olson under teacher Barry Schaeffer.

Other participating high schools included Logan View, North Bend, Omaha Central, Twin River and Waverly.

The Nebraska Economics Challenge is sponsored by the Nebraska Council on Economic Education, a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the economic literacy of Nebraska's students. The Federal Reserve Bank of Omaha-Kansas City Branch, the National Council on Economic Education and Goldman Sachs co-sponsored the event.

The winning teams from the Regional Economics Challenge competition will receive individual savings bonds and an all-expense-paid trip to the National Economics Challenge to be held in New York City in May.

CONTACT: Tammie Fischer, Director, Center for Economic Education, (402) 472-2333