Ohio Economics Challenge

A Contest for High School Students that Challenges
Economic Knowledge and Understanding

Ohio Council on Economic Education
CETE Building - 1900 Kenny Road
Columbus, OH 43210-1016
Phone and Fax: 614-292-1178
Email: oceeinfo@ocee.org

Date and Time
Location
Registration and Fees
What is the Economics Challenge?
Team Composition
How the Economics Challenge is Structured
Eligibility
What are the Benefits to Students?
Advancement and Prizes
Teachers Please Note
The EconChallenge ONLINE

Sponsored By: The Ohio Council on Economic Education, National Federation of Independent Business-Ohio, and , and the Ohio Council for the Social Studies.

Co-Sponsored By: The National Council on Economic Education, through funding from the United States Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement; and the Goldman Sachs Foundation

Date and Time

Tuesday, February 27, 2007 --- 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM

Please note that both divisions will compete on the same day.

In Case of Severe Weather - In the event that driving conditions in the Columbus area prove hazardous (i.e. Columbus Public Schools are delayed or closed) the Challenge will be rescheduled for the following day. To determine event status, please call 614-292-1178 on the morning of the Challenge.

Location

Villa Milano
1630 Schrock Road
Columbus , Ohio 43229

Registration and Fees

Registration Deadline: 2/6/07

TO REGISTER

Step 1 - Complete the registration form found here and fax it to OCEE at 614-292-1178. You may copy the form to register more than two teams.

Step 2 - Complete and return the mandatory permission and release forms and return them to OCEE by February 23. These forms will be mailed to you immediately after we receive your registration form.

All registrations must be faxed. This acts as a time-stamp for registrations, which will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, should the number of applications surpass the number of available slots in each division. A waiting list will be created.

You will be notified by e-mail or phone of your status after your registration is received.

There is an entry fee of $75.00 per team, payable to OCEE. You will be invoiced immediately after we receive your registration form; this invoice will be sent with your mandatory permission and release forms. Please make checks and purchase orders payable to OCEE.

Payment must be received by February 23, 2007. Refunds will not be provided for cancellations made after this date, UNLESS your attendance is impossible owing to conditions of severe weather on the day of the Challenge.

Send checks to:
Econ Challenge
OCEE
1900 Kenny Road
Columbus, OH 43210

It is in your best interest to register as early as possible! Additional information to help you prepare for the Economics Challenge will be mailed to you after we receive your registration form.

What is the
Economics
Challenge?

A series of tests in which teams of three to four students challenge their economic knowledge, understanding, and reasoning abilities. The purpose of the Challenge is to encourage the teaching and learning of economics among students in Ohio through friendly competition.

Teams register in one of two divisions:

Adam Smith Division - This division is for students enrolled in a two-semester general economics course, or an Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Honors, or other advanced economics course, including courses in which students earn college credit. Said course must be taught by a secondary teacher. Any team containing one or more students enrolled in the courses described here must play in the Adam Smith division.

David Ricardo Division - This division is restricted to students enrolled in a one-semester (or less) general economics course, or a course that includes introductory economic concepts (social studies, business, personal finance, etc.); said course must be taught by a secondary teacher.

Team Composition

Teams shall be comprised of four (4) members.

Competing with only three (3) members, if necessary, is possible and permissible.

All members of a team must be from the same public, private, or home-based school.

A school which qualifies for regional and/or national competition may reconstitute the members of its team prior to the competition. Students must, however, meet the general student eligibility conditions as well as the eligibility conditions for the division in which the school qualified.

Schools may submit as many teams in each division as they wish. A separate registration form is required for each team.

How the
Economics
Challenge is Structured

GENERAL OVERVIEW

Team Members participate both as individuals during Rounds I and II, and as a team during Rounds III and IV of the competition

Short Breaks will be scheduled between each round, during which tests will be scored and the results posted.

Lunch will be provided between Rounds II and III.

An Award Ceremony will be held after Round IV. Please plan to stay through the end of Round IV to receive certificates & T-shirts for your team.

CONTEST FORMAT

There shall be three initial rounds of competition (Rounds I-III).

These shall be 20-minute rounds with 15 multiple-choice questions in each round.
In the first two rounds each member competes individually and the team score in each round is the sum of the top three individual scores.
In the third round members compete as a team and submit one answer sheet.
Each division shall have its own set of tests for these rounds.

Scoring in Rounds I-III is based on the following system:

IN OHIO

+10 points for each correct response
0 points for each incorrect response
0 points for no response

AT THE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL

+10 points for each correct response
-5 points for each incorrect response
0 points for no response

The score on the Round III test will be multiplied by three so that this round is weighted equally with each of the first two rounds (Rounds I and II).

The content covered in Rounds I through III is as follows:

Round I: Microeconomics
Round II: Macroeconomics
Round III: International Economics and Current Events
Round IV: All of the Above

The two highest scoring teams in each division after Rounds I-III advance to Round IV.

First tie-breaker: team score in Round III.
Second tie-breaker: total team score in Rounds I and II counting the scores of all four team members (not just the top three).
Final tie-breaker: quiz-bowl competition tie-breaker (see below).

Round IV has a quiz-bowl format covering all topics in economics.

One student on each team is designated as the spokesperson for that team. Only responses from the designated spokesperson are considered official.
One point is awarded for each question answered correctly by a team.
Team members may buzz in at any time a question is being read, however, should they buzz in before the entire question has been read, they will have to answer based solely on the information they have heard up to that point.
Once a team member has buzzed in, the team has 15 seconds to consult and have a response given by its spokesperson.
If an incorrect response is given, the other team will have the opportunity to hear the entire question and then have 15 seconds to respond.

Round IV is over as soon as one team leads by more points than there are questions remaining.

A maximum of 30 questions will be asked.
In the event of a tie after 30 questions, the first team to correctly answer a tie-breaking question will be declared the winner.

Use of Support Materials

The use of books, notes, calculators or other support materials is not allowed during the competition.
Students will be allowed a pencil and a piece of scratch paper in all rounds.

Eligibility

Enrollment is open to all high school students (grades 9-12) in the state of Ohio.

Students must be enrolled for credit in a qualifying high school course at some time during the 2006-2007 academic year.

Students who have taken or are taking economics courses for college credit from a post-secondary instructor are not eligible to compete.

Students who have taken more than one semester of economics at any time must compete in the Adam Smith division. In particular, students who are in their second semester of any economics course must compete in the Adam Smith division.

No student is permitted to compete in the David Ricardo division more than one year.

Any returning student who has already participated in the Economics Challenge (at the state-level or higher) must compete in the Adam Smith division in subsequent years, regardless of previous or current coursework.

Home-schooled students must compete in the Adam Smith division.

What are the
Benefits to
Students?

Preparing for the Challenge increases understanding of economic concepts and helps to instill an appreciation of economic issues.

Participation provides an opportunity for students to match wits with their peers in enjoyable and stimulating academic competition.

The Challenge motivates independent study and stimulates interest in economics and other social studies curricula.

Team competition enhances debate, discussion, and analytic skills.

Students will receive a Challenge T-Shirt, Certificate, and have the opportunity to win various small prizes.

The top scoring students and the top teams in each division will receive awards celebrating their achievements.

The two State Champion teams will advance to the multi-state regional competition held in April, with the top regional teams receiving an all-expense-paid trip to New York City for the national championship held in May.

Advancement and Prizes

All students participating in the face-to-face Ohio High School Economics Challenge will receive Certificates of Participation and an Economics Challenge T-shirt.

The top three teams in each division will receive a school trophy and individual medallions.

The student with the highest individual score in each division will receive a special certificate in recognition of his or her achievement.

Additional prizes will be made available as sponsorship becomes available.

The top team in each division is eligible to represent Ohio at the Midwest Regional Economics Challenge, held in Chicago in late April 2007. The winning team in each division of the Regional Challenge is in turn eligible for an all-expense paid trip to New York City for the National Challenge in May 2007.

Teachers Please Note

Payment must be received by no later than February 23, 2007 . Refunds will not be provided for cancellations made after this date, UNLESS your attendance is impossible owing to conditions of severe weather on the day of the Challenge.

All entries must be faxed. This acts as a time-stamp for registrations, which will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, should the number of applications surpass the number of available slots in each division. A waiting list will be created.

You will be notified by e-mail or phone of your status after your registration is received.

Schools may submit as many teams in each division as they wish. A separate registration form is required for each team. The maximum number of team members is four, the minimum number is three.

We strongly recommend bringing additional chaperones for your teams if they are participating in more than one division, or if the total number of teams from your school exceeds four. The name(s) and number of any chaperones must be submitted to us with your team registrations.

Students are expected to dress and behave in a business-like fashion.

Packets containing Challenge details and maps to Villa Milano will be mailed to you.

Plan on staying for the entire competition. Certificates will be prepared for every student and presented with a souvenir T-shirt at the awards ceremony.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Ohio Council on Economic Education
CETE Bldg – 1900 Kenny Road
Columbus , OH 43210
Phone/Fax: 614-292-1178
E-mail: oceeinfo@ocee.org

The EconChallenge ONLINE

Now it is possible for every high school student in Ohio to experience the excitement of the Economics Challenge, without leaving school! No wrangling with the district for travel permits, no missed classes, no long road trips in the blustery February weather!

There is no registration fee required to participate in the EconChallenge ONLINE.

Participation is optional for teams registering for the regular face-to-face competition. Separate registrations are required.

Please note that students participating in the EconChallenge ONLINE are not eligible for prizes or advancement to the Regional and National Competitions.

Teachers who complete a small survey regarding their experience will receive Certificates of Participation for their students.

HOW IT WORKS

The EconChallenge ONLINE website, www.econchallenge.org, will open on December 18, 2006 for those interested in learning more about this new method of competition.

Starting on January 1, 2007, teachers may register teams at the EconChallenge ONLINE website to receive their unique access codes. Then, in February, there will be a two-week window during which students may log on and take a 30-question test covering micro, macro, and international economics. Scores will be made available after all teams have completed the online competition.

The EconChallenge ONLINE was developed by the Nebraska Council on Economic Education.

This is a new way of bringing the Economics Challenge to students in Ohio, so please bear with us as we try it out for the first time! If successful, we may consider restructuring the Ohio High School Economics Challenge as an invitational, using the EconChallenge ONLINE as a qualifier and inviting only the top teams in each division to compete in the face-to-face event.

Similarly, the National Council on Economic Education is considering using a the EconChallenge ONLINE as the format for the Midwest Regional Economics Challenge starting in 2008.

We encourage teachers to try the online version of the Challenge!

	Ohio Economics Challenge A Contest for High School Students that Challenges Economic Knowledge and Understanding
Contact us: Ohio Council on Economic Education CETE Building - 1900 Kenny Road Columbus, OH 43210-1016 Phone and Fax: 614-292-1178 Email: oceeinfo@ocee.org	Date and Time Location Registration and Fees What is the Economics Challenge? Team Composition How the Economics Challenge is Structured Eligibility What are the Benefits to Students? Advancement and Prizes Teachers Please Note The EconChallenge ONLINE
	Sponsored By: The Ohio Council on Economic Education, National Federation of Independent Business-Ohio, and , and the Ohio Council for the Social Studies. Co-Sponsored By: The National Council on Economic Education, through funding from the United States Department of Education, Office of Innovation and Improvement; and the Goldman Sachs Foundation

Date and Time	Tuesday, February 27, 2007 --- 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM Please note that both divisions will compete on the same day. In Case of Severe Weather - In the event that driving conditions in the Columbus area prove hazardous (i.e. Columbus Public Schools are delayed or closed) the Challenge will be rescheduled for the following day. To determine event status, please call 614-292-1178 on the morning of the Challenge.

Location	Villa Milano 1630 Schrock Road Columbus , Ohio 43229

Registration and Fees Registration Deadline: 2/6/07	TO REGISTER Step 1 - Complete the registration form found here and fax it to OCEE at 614-292-1178. You may copy the form to register more than two teams. Step 2 - Complete and return the mandatory permission and release forms and return them to OCEE by February 23. These forms will be mailed to you immediately after we receive your registration form. All registrations must be faxed. This acts as a time-stamp for registrations, which will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, should the number of applications surpass the number of available slots in each division. A waiting list will be created. You will be notified by e-mail or phone of your status after your registration is received. There is an entry fee of $75.00 per team, payable to OCEE. You will be invoiced immediately after we receive your registration form; this invoice will be sent with your mandatory permission and release forms. Please make checks and purchase orders payable to OCEE. Payment must be received by February 23, 2007. Refunds will not be provided for cancellations made after this date, UNLESS your attendance is impossible owing to conditions of severe weather on the day of the Challenge. Send checks to: Econ Challenge OCEE 1900 Kenny Road Columbus, OH 43210 It is in your best interest to register as early as possible! Additional information to help you prepare for the Economics Challenge will be mailed to you after we receive your registration form.

What is the Economics Challenge?	A series of tests in which teams of three to four students challenge their economic knowledge, understanding, and reasoning abilities. The purpose of the Challenge is to encourage the teaching and learning of economics among students in Ohio through friendly competition. Teams register in one of two divisions: Adam Smith Division - This division is for students enrolled in a two-semester general economics course, or an Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Honors, or other advanced economics course, including courses in which students earn college credit. Said course must be taught by a secondary teacher. Any team containing one or more students enrolled in the courses described here must play in the Adam Smith division. David Ricardo Division - This division is restricted to students enrolled in a one-semester (or less) general economics course, or a course that includes introductory economic concepts (social studies, business, personal finance, etc.); said course must be taught by a secondary teacher.

Team Composition	Teams shall be comprised of four (4) members. Competing with only three (3) members, if necessary, is possible and permissible. All members of a team must be from the same public, private, or home-based school. A school which qualifies for regional and/or national competition may reconstitute the members of its team prior to the competition. Students must, however, meet the general student eligibility conditions as well as the eligibility conditions for the division in which the school qualified. Schools may submit as many teams in each division as they wish. A separate registration form is required for each team.

How the Economics Challenge is Structured	GENERAL OVERVIEW Team Members participate both as individuals during Rounds I and II, and as a team during Rounds III and IV of the competition Short Breaks will be scheduled between each round, during which tests will be scored and the results posted. Lunch will be provided between Rounds II and III. An Award Ceremony will be held after Round IV. Please plan to stay through the end of Round IV to receive certificates & T-shirts for your team. CONTEST FORMAT There shall be three initial rounds of competition (Rounds I-III). These shall be 20-minute rounds with 15 multiple-choice questions in each round. In the first two rounds each member competes individually and the team score in each round is the sum of the top three individual scores. In the third round members compete as a team and submit one answer sheet. Each division shall have its own set of tests for these rounds. Scoring in Rounds I-III is based on the following system: IN OHIO +10 points for each correct response 0 points for each incorrect response 0 points for no response AT THE REGIONAL AND NATIONAL LEVEL +10 points for each correct response -5 points for each incorrect response 0 points for no response The score on the Round III test will be multiplied by three so that this round is weighted equally with each of the first two rounds (Rounds I and II). The content covered in Rounds I through III is as follows: Round I: Microeconomics Round II: Macroeconomics Round III: International Economics and Current Events Round IV: All of the Above The two highest scoring teams in each division after Rounds I-III advance to Round IV. First tie-breaker: team score in Round III. Second tie-breaker: total team score in Rounds I and II counting the scores of all four team members (not just the top three). Final tie-breaker: quiz-bowl competition tie-breaker (see below). Round IV has a quiz-bowl format covering all topics in economics. One student on each team is designated as the spokesperson for that team. Only responses from the designated spokesperson are considered official. One point is awarded for each question answered correctly by a team. Team members may buzz in at any time a question is being read, however, should they buzz in before the entire question has been read, they will have to answer based solely on the information they have heard up to that point. Once a team member has buzzed in, the team has 15 seconds to consult and have a response given by its spokesperson. If an incorrect response is given, the other team will have the opportunity to hear the entire question and then have 15 seconds to respond. Round IV is over as soon as one team leads by more points than there are questions remaining. A maximum of 30 questions will be asked. In the event of a tie after 30 questions, the first team to correctly answer a tie-breaking question will be declared the winner. Use of Support Materials The use of books, notes, calculators or other support materials is not allowed during the competition. Students will be allowed a pencil and a piece of scratch paper in all rounds.

Eligibility	Enrollment is open to all high school students (grades 9-12) in the state of Ohio. Students must be enrolled for credit in a qualifying high school course at some time during the 2006-2007 academic year. Students who have taken or are taking economics courses for college credit from a post-secondary instructor are not eligible to compete. Students who have taken more than one semester of economics at any time must compete in the Adam Smith division. In particular, students who are in their second semester of any economics course must compete in the Adam Smith division. No student is permitted to compete in the David Ricardo division more than one year. Any returning student who has already participated in the Economics Challenge (at the state-level or higher) must compete in the Adam Smith division in subsequent years, regardless of previous or current coursework. Home-schooled students must compete in the Adam Smith division.

What are the Benefits to Students?	Preparing for the Challenge increases understanding of economic concepts and helps to instill an appreciation of economic issues. Participation provides an opportunity for students to match wits with their peers in enjoyable and stimulating academic competition. The Challenge motivates independent study and stimulates interest in economics and other social studies curricula. Team competition enhances debate, discussion, and analytic skills. Students will receive a Challenge T-Shirt, Certificate, and have the opportunity to win various small prizes. The top scoring students and the top teams in each division will receive awards celebrating their achievements. The two State Champion teams will advance to the multi-state regional competition held in April, with the top regional teams receiving an all-expense-paid trip to New York City for the national championship held in May.

Advancement and Prizes	All students participating in the face-to-face Ohio High School Economics Challenge will receive Certificates of Participation and an Economics Challenge T-shirt. The top three teams in each division will receive a school trophy and individual medallions. The student with the highest individual score in each division will receive a special certificate in recognition of his or her achievement. Additional prizes will be made available as sponsorship becomes available. The top team in each division is eligible to represent Ohio at the Midwest Regional Economics Challenge, held in Chicago in late April 2007. The winning team in each division of the Regional Challenge is in turn eligible for an all-expense paid trip to New York City for the National Challenge in May 2007.

Teachers Please Note	Payment must be received by no later than February 23, 2007 . Refunds will not be provided for cancellations made after this date, UNLESS your attendance is impossible owing to conditions of severe weather on the day of the Challenge. All entries must be faxed. This acts as a time-stamp for registrations, which will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis, should the number of applications surpass the number of available slots in each division. A waiting list will be created. You will be notified by e-mail or phone of your status after your registration is received. Schools may submit as many teams in each division as they wish. A separate registration form is required for each team. The maximum number of team members is four, the minimum number is three. We strongly recommend bringing additional chaperones for your teams if they are participating in more than one division, or if the total number of teams from your school exceeds four. The name(s) and number of any chaperones must be submitted to us with your team registrations. Students are expected to dress and behave in a business-like fashion. Packets containing Challenge details and maps to Villa Milano will be mailed to you. Plan on staying for the entire competition. Certificates will be prepared for every student and presented with a souvenir T-shirt at the awards ceremony. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Ohio Council on Economic Education CETE Bldg – 1900 Kenny Road Columbus , OH 43210 Phone/Fax: 614-292-1178 E-mail: oceeinfo@ocee.org

The EconChallenge ONLINE	Now it is possible for every high school student in Ohio to experience the excitement of the Economics Challenge, without leaving school! No wrangling with the district for travel permits, no missed classes, no long road trips in the blustery February weather! There is no registration fee required to participate in the EconChallenge ONLINE. Participation is optional for teams registering for the regular face-to-face competition. Separate registrations are required. Please note that students participating in the EconChallenge ONLINE are not eligible for prizes or advancement to the Regional and National Competitions. Teachers who complete a small survey regarding their experience will receive Certificates of Participation for their students. HOW IT WORKS The EconChallenge ONLINE website, www.econchallenge.org, will open on December 18, 2006 for those interested in learning more about this new method of competition. Starting on January 1, 2007, teachers may register teams at the EconChallenge ONLINE website to receive their unique access codes. Then, in February, there will be a two-week window during which students may log on and take a 30-question test covering micro, macro, and international economics. Scores will be made available after all teams have completed the online competition. The EconChallenge ONLINE was developed by the Nebraska Council on Economic Education. This is a new way of bringing the Economics Challenge to students in Ohio, so please bear with us as we try it out for the first time! If successful, we may consider restructuring the Ohio High School Economics Challenge as an invitational, using the EconChallenge ONLINE as a qualifier and inviting only the top teams in each division to compete in the face-to-face event. Similarly, the National Council on Economic Education is considering using a the EconChallenge ONLINE as the format for the Midwest Regional Economics Challenge starting in 2008. We encourage teachers to try the online version of the Challenge!