JACKSON, Miss., April 7, 2014—Eighteen teams from fifteen schools around the state of Mississippi are
advancing to the state Economics Challenge championship on Tuesday, April 8, 2014 at Millsaps College –
Leggett Center – first floor – in Jackson. Sponsored by the Mississippi Council on Economic Education and
now in its eleventh year of competition, the Challenge included an online preliminary round. The highest
scoring students and teams qualified to compete for scholarships and awards at the state level. The winning
teams at the state level will advance to the regional level where they will compete against students from other
states.
The best time for the media to attend will be for the quiz bowl round which will take place from 1:45-2:15.
However, media is welcome anytime from 10 am – 3 pm.
2014 Mississippi Economics Challenge Teams
1. Amory High School – their coach is Nathan Clayton
2. Brookhaven Academy – their coach is Keiza Reid
3. Germantown High School – their coach is Christy Walker and she is a Master Teacher of Economics. Ms. Walker is the 2006 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran Economics Teacher of the Year.
4. Itawamba Agricultural High School – their coach is Sandy Prestage and she is a Master Teacher of Economics
5. Lawrence County High School – their coach is Eddie Rials and he is a Master Teacher of Economics
6. Madison Central High School– their coaches are Mindi Cook who is a Master Teacher of Economics and Susan Shivers
7. Moss Point High School– their coach is Chad Smith and he is a Master Teacher of Economics
8. Murrah High School – their coach is Edward Schneider and he is a Master Teacher of Economics
9. North Pontotoc High School– their coach is Bob Wingo and he is a Master Teacher of Economics
10. Northwest Rankin High School – their coach is Rush Sweeney and he is a Master Teacher of Economics. Mr. Sweeney is the 2009 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran Economics Teacher of the Year.
11. Ocean Springs High School– their coach is Angela Sanders and she is a Master Teacher of Economics
12. Olive Branch High School – their coach is Vicki Sullivan
13. St. Martin High School – their coach is Rebecca Tyndall and she is a Master Teacher of Economics
14. Starkville High School – their coach is Ginger Tedder and she is a Master Teacher of Economics. Ms. Tedder is the 2012 U.S. Senator Thad Cochran Economics Teacher of the Year.
15. Webster County CTC – their coach is Dionne Hodges and she is a Master Teacher of Economics. Prizes include eight $750 scholarships for students on the two first place state championship teams and eight
$250 scholarships for students on the two second place teams. The first place teams will represent the state at the Regional Economics Challenge in April. An additional $250 scholarship will be awarded to the 2014
Economics Student of the Year. The state competition produces a championship team in each of two divisions: the Adam Smith Division (Advanced Placement economics students) and the David Ricardo Division (regular economics students).
“The Mississippi Council on Economic Education provides teachers with professional development in economics and financial literacy education that enables teachers to teach skills the students need for success.
Many of the Economics Challenge competitors are taught by Master Teachers of Economics, an endorsement established by the Mississippi Board of Education. As teachers’ skills improve in teaching these complex
courses, their students demonstrate greater success in the annual competition,’’ stated Selena Swartzfager, President of the MS Council on Economic Education. This Economics Challenge competition was made possible through the generous support of BankPlus, Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Mississippi, State Farm, Millsaps College, the Mississippi Council on Economic Education, Security Ballew, Inc., and the Council for Economic Education.
