Category: Contests

Contests, News/Accolades

The 2025 Econ and Finance Challenges Results

iowajumpstart
Finance Challenge Finalists

Each year, the Iowa Jump$tart Coalition, with support from the National Council for Economic Education, hosts two major statewide competitions: the Economics Challenge and the Iowa Personal Finance Challenge. These events offer students a platform to demonstrate their understanding of economic and financial literacy through competitive, interactive experiences. This year, both competitions were held at the Iowa State Research Park Economic Development Core Facility.

Economics Challenge – April 9

On April 9, students from across Iowa participated in the annual Economics Challenge. This online competition tested their knowledge of economic principles through a series of examinations. Participants competed against peers statewide, showcasing their academic skills and earning cash prizes, awards, and recognition for their achievements.

2025 Economics Challenge Finalists:

  • Adam Smith Division
    • West Senior High School (1st and 2nd)
    • Clarinda High School
  • David Ricardo Division
    • Montezuma High School (1st)
    • St. Ansgar High School (2nd)
    • Ankeny Centennial High School
    • Clarinda High School
  • Middle School Division
    • West Middle School
    • Anamosa Middle School
    • Clarinda Middle School
    • Montezuma Middle School

Personal Finance Challenge – April 16

A week later, on April 16, the Iowa Jump$tart Coalition held the Iowa Personal Finance Challenge. This event brought together the top-performing high school teams from fall and spring regional competitions for a live state championship.

Teams were assigned fictional case studies and tasked with creating financial recommendations for their assigned client. Their presentations were evaluated by a panel of judges comprising economists, business leaders, and financial professionals.

2025 Personal Finance Challenge Finalists:

  • High School Division
    • Montezuma High School (1st)
    • Waukee Northwest High School (2nd)
    • Lake Mills High School (3rd)
    • Kingsley-Pierson High School
    • Clarinda High School
    • Bellevue High School
    • St. Ansgar High School
  • Middle School Division
    • Waverly-Shell Rock Middle School
    • Montezuma Middle School
    • West Middle School
    • Clarinda Middle School

These competitions continue to promote financial literacy and economic understanding among Iowa’s youth, equipping them with valuable skills for the future.

Economics Challenge Winners and Finalists
Contests

Accounting Opportunities Experience and High School Case Competition

iowajumpstart

The Iowa Society of CPAs’ Accounting Opportunities Experience

The Iowa Society of CPAs is excited to have partnered with other state CPA societies, AICPA, and Center for Audit Quality’s Accounting+ initiative to raise awareness of the accounting profession among high school (and middle school!) students through Accounting Opportunities Experience. A national campaign to bring CPAs into classrooms took place throughout the month of November. We even received a declaration from the governor of Iowa designating the month of November Accounting Opportunities Month! We held in-person presentations across the state to help high school students better understand opportunities in the business world. During 2023 Accounting Opportunities Experience, we reached 1676 Iowa high school students and presented in 39 different schools utilizing almost 50 CPA volunteer presenters! ISCPA is still accepting classrooms and continuing to give presentations throughout the year, not only in November! If you would like to bring CPAs into your classroom, please complete this 2-minute survey and a member of the Iowa Society of CPAs will contact you. Thank you for all you do to inspire the next generation of accounting professionals! 

The Iowa Society of CPAs’ High School Case Competition

The Iowa Society of CPAs (ISCPA) is excited to announce the Second Annual ISCPA High School Case Competition for the spring semester. This is a fantastic opportunity to expose students to the accounting profession! The case provides students an on-going, real-world learning experience – culminating in a day spent in person at a host company, either CPA firm or company, near you! This begins with an ISCPA member scheduling four visits to your accounting class this spring. Members will help supplement the accounting curriculum by teaching four accounting modules to prepare the students for the case. Topics include Accounts Receivable, Bad Debt Expense and other adjusting journal entries, Financing, and Financial Statement Analysis. After four classroom visits students will be ready for the Case Competition, which will be held towards the end of the spring semester in person at a host office. The case provides students the opportunity to finalize yearend financial statements and complete some basic financial statement analysis. In addition to accounting fundamentals, students will practice working in small teams and demonstrate presentation skills.

On the day of the Case Competition, students will be given the case to complete in small groups of approximately four students. ISCPA members will be on hand to assist the groups. During the office visit, students will also have an opportunity to tour the host company, meet a variety of accounting professionals, and enjoy a catered lunch courtesy of the host company. Teams will record and electronically submit their presentations. Once all teams have submitted their recordings, a panel of ISCPA members will judge the presentations and determine the winners. The winning team will be announced at the ISCPA Annual Meeting, receive an ISCPA High School Case Competition trophy, and each member of the winning team will receive a gift card. All participants will receive an ISCPA High School Case Competition t-shirt. This opportunity is open to all accounting students. No class is too big or too small. ISCPA staff will do all of the coordination! Does this sound of interest to you and your students? If so, please contact Natalie Harwood at nharwood@iacpa.org or 515-985-7104 to get signed up.

Contests, News/Accolades

The 2023 Econ and Finance Challenges were a huge success!

iowajumpstart

The 2023 Personal Finance Challenge and Iowa Economics Challenge saw more than 1,000 students, teachers, and volunteers involved over the course of the 2022-2023 school year. Both events test the knowledge and skills of middle and high school students: the Personal Financial Challenge tests students on income, money management, spending, credit, saving, and investing and the Economics Challenge utilizes Quiz Bowl style exams on economic knowledge.

The Personal Finance Challenge hosted two competitions this school year. The Fall 2022 competition ran from September to December with 745 students and 12 teachers participating. The Spring 2023 competition had 637 students and 8 teachers competing from January to March. The two competitions culminated in 60 students, fifteen teams of four, competing for 1st , 2nd , and 3rd place on April 12th at Drake University and resulted in more than $2,000 in prizes to the participants.

The Economics Challenge hosts competitions in three divisions: Adam Smith for returning competitors, AP, IB, and honors students; David Ricardo for first time competitors; and Milton Friedman for middle school students (grades 6-8). This year saw 163 students and 7 teachers competing in fall and spring challenges. The final challenge brought 80 students (twenty teams of four students) to Drake University on April 19th, with winners taking home prizes totaling more than $2,000.

A great big thank you to the twenty volunteers and also to the sponsors, without whom these events would not be possible: Iowa Division of Banking, The Harkin Institute, Drake University, University of Northern Iowa, ISL Education Lending, and TS Institute.

Contests

CBI MONEY SMART WEEK POSTER CONTEST 2023

iowajumpstart

The 2023 Money Smart Week Poster Contest is officially open! Since 1999, Community Bankers of Iowa has sponsored the Money Smart Week Poster Contest as part of April’s Community Banking Month festivities.

Elementary students in 2nd through 6th Grades are eligible. Students should design a poster to answer the question “Why is it important to know about money?” Prizes offered are a $600 Certificate of Deposit for the First Place winner, and $300 Certificates of Deposit for the Second and Third Place winners. Prize CDs will be set up at the banks that submitted the winning posters, and are funded by the Community Bankers of Iowa Education Foundation.

Sponsoring the Money Smart Week Poster Contest is open to all community banks in Iowa. For your convenience we have compiled a free Marketing Kit to assist you in hosting the 2023 Money Smart Week Poster Contest at your bank. Register your bank to participate in the Poster Contest and download the free Marketing Kit materials here. Registering helps CBI inform the public as to which Iowa community banks are sponsoring the 2023 CBI Poster Contest in their area.

Winners will be chosen and notified by May 9, and announced to the public by May 12. Visit our website for more information about the Poster Contest, or email Krissy Lee at klee@cbiaonline.org with questions, for assistance with entry submission, or to request customized marketing materials.

Download the flier!

Contests, News/Accolades

2023 Personal Finance and Economics Challenges

iowajumpstart

The Personal Finance Challenge is available to middle and high school students. The competition tests students’ knowledge on income, money management, spending, credit, saving and investing. 

The top 4 teams in each region will be invited to the State Finals on April 12, 2023. Prizes available! 

Personal Finance Challenge – https://financechallenge.unl.edu/Iowa

The Economics Challenge is an opportunity for middle and high school students to demonstrate their knowledge of economics by competing in this FREE program with other students across the state in written and “Quiz Bowl” examinations.

The top 10 high school teams in each division will be invited to participate in the State Finals on April 19, 2023. Prizes available!

Economics Challenge – https://financechallenge.unl.edu/Iowa

Contests, Financial Literacy Tools, Scholarships

At Home Financial Literacy Challenge worth $10,000

iowajumpstart

The National Financial Bee

Compete for a chance to win a college scholarship up to $10,000!

Calling all parents and caregivers! The Iowa Insurance Division is proud to sponsor the EVERFI National Financial Bee, a first-of-its-kind nationwide financial literacy challenge for students in 7th-10th grade. This year’s virtual challenge will take place April 20-24, and we want YOU to participate!

During Financial Literacy Month, and especially during this time of unprecedented uncertainty, we are committed to helping our Iowa Insurance Division team and their families plan for their financial future and find ways to pay for college. The National Financial Bee provides an opportunity for students to have some fun and learn critical financial concepts — all from the comfort of home while social distancing!

The five-day challenge was created by social impact education innovator EVERFI, our partner in financial education. Each daily lesson covers important financial topics covering everything from savings, investing, income, debt and more. After completing the lessons, students submit a short capstone essay in which they share their biggest financial dream and outline a plan for how to get there. Three winners of the National Financial Bee will receive up to $10,000 in college scholarships.

How It Works

Students can participate in just 3 easy steps:

  1. Visit the National Financial Bee website https://iid-iowa.everfi-next.net/welcome/national-financial-bee
  2. Complete the 5 lessons (~10 minutes each)
  3. Submit a short essay on your biggest financial dream and how you plan to achieve it by May 8th.

The National Financial be is open to all our Iowa Insurance Division employees, their immediate and extended families, and the communities we serve. We will be promoting the challenge across our social media channels and encourage you to re-share with friends and family.

Contests, Financial Literacy Tools

Classroom opportunity with Iowa JumpStart

iowajumpstart

Cache__BannerYou may have heard about the Cache! which is an online game for your classroom. It’s from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, it’s for Money Smart Week, it’s free to you – and there are prizes. Iowa teachers and students are eligible for the national prize as well as the Iowa JumpStart prize. It’s easy for your students to play, but you need to sign up by March 13 so they can access the site.

To participate:

  1. Teachers register and get details at this Money Smart link:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/Cache2020
  2. Teachers get a code for their students to use – I will send an email to you.
  3. Students use any mobile device or computer to maneuver Ben Franklin through some 21st century financial hurdles and get him to the “portal” to answer the personal finance questions.
  4. Teachers can use Cache! as a fun activity or in conjunction with teaching a personal finance lesson.
  5. Students can play as many times as they wish from March 30 to May 5, 2020.
  6. Cache covers seven topics students should understand – credit scores, identity theft, car loans, student loans, debit vs. credit, paychecks and budgeting.

If you have questions, you can email joanne@kusterltd.com.

Thanks for teaching financial education in your classroom!

Contests, Upcoming Events

Poster Contest is back!

iowajumpstart

A fantastic part of Money Smart Week that is coming up in April is the Poster Contest sponsored by Community Bankers of Iowa. The contest is for 2nd-6th grade students. It is fun for the creative kids to try to make some money with their art. Please go to this website for all the details.

http://www.cbiaonline.org/msw-poster-contest.html

Check out other Money Smart Week activities by going to the website:

https://www.moneysmartweek.org/events

Contests, Upcoming Events

Iowa Economics and Personal Finance Challenge Events

iowajumpstart

The Iowa Council on Economic Education is facilitating two state finals events – the Iowa Personal Finance Challenge on April 10 at the Federal Reserve Bank in West Des Moines, and the Iowa Economics Challenge at the Iowa State University Extension office in Altoona on April 17.

The Personal Finance Challenge will consist of student teams across Iowa creating presentations on how families can address and manage finances while facing financial adversity. A panel  of judges will determine the state champion, runner up , and third place finishers.

The Economics Challenge will consist of three multiple choice assessment rounds for advanced placement and traditional economics students. The top two teams in each division will then compete in a quiz bowl to determine the state champions.

Last year was the first year of these events in Iowa and they were a great success. This year over 2,500 students throughout our state have participated in the preliminary round and the Iowa Council on Economic Education is excited to bring students from across the state to Des Moines for these championship events.

Volunteers are needed to help judge the Personal Finance Challenge as well as administer and score the assessments in the Economics Challenge. If you are available and willing to help, please contact Bob Mantell at bob.mantell@tsinstitute.org.