Belen Jesuit Preparatory School of Miami won the district competition for the Fed Challenge - a national economics program sponsored by the Federal Reserve System - held at the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta. Belen Jesuit Preparatory School will represent the Sixth Federal Reserve District in the national Fed Challenge championship in Washington, D.C., in May.
In addition to Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School of Miami competed in the district competition after advancing from the 11-team south Florida competition earlier this month. As part of the district competition, each team made a 15-minute presentation on the economy. Students then fielded questions from a panel of judges related to their presentations and their knowledge of the Federal Reserve's role in the economy.
"We were very pleased with the performance of our playoff teams and feel that Belen Jesuit Preparatory School will do an excellent job in representing the Sixth District in the Fed Challenge National Championship," said Jack Guynn, president and chief executive officer of the Atlanta Fed.
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School will compete against eight other district winners from throughout the United States at the national championship, May 1?3, in Washington. Citibank is providing grants and scholarships for the Fed Challenge competitors.
For their participation in the Fed Challenge, G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School, along with the students on the team and the sponsoring teacher, will receive grants and scholarships. As a national finalist team, Belen Jesuit Preparatory School will receive a grant from Citibank to create an in-school economics laboratory, the sponsoring teacher will receive an achievement award, and each of the five students on the team will receive a scholarship. If Belen Jesuit Preparatory School wins the national championship, Citibank will award a total of $100,000 for the school, teacher and students in grants and scholarship money.
The Fed Challenge is a multilevel national competition designed to bring real-world economics into the high school classroom, promote interest in economics and increase understanding of the Federal Reserve's role in setting U.S. monetary policy.
The Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta serves the Sixth Federal Reserve District, which encompasses Alabama, Florida, Georgia and portions of Louisiana, Mississippi and Tennessee. As part of the nation's central banking system, the Atlanta Fed participates in setting national monetary policy, supervises numerous commercial banks and provides a variety of financial services to depository institutions and the U.S. government.