On Wednesday March 20th 32 students from the SFHS junior and senior class made their annual trip to St. Cloud State University to compete in the 2024 Minnesota Heartland Economics Challenge Regional. Students competed by completing a three part test consisting of microeconomics, macroeconomics, and international trade and current events. Students competed as teams of four and the top two scoring teams in the high school and AP/College in the Schools(CIS) divisions would advance to the final quiz bowl round. In the quiz bowl round teams were tasked with buzzing in and answering a series of questions. While St. Francis was unable to advance a team to the High School quiz bowl round they were able to advance their CIS team. Members of this team included Abby Paulson, Madison Hall, Evelyn Kelly, Nathaniel Esbolt, and Parker Dekart. They faced off against Cambridge Isanti and because St. Francis had the highest composite team test score they started the quiz bowl with a three point advantage. The quiz bowl unfolded with back and forth scoring but St. Francis pulled away in the end and beat C-I by six points. As a result our CIS team will be competing at Securian Financial Headquarters in St. Paul on April 16th. They will get a chance to face off against some of the best economics students in the state. St. Francis also had a CIS team place third and members of that team are Sam Ruid, Nick Braski, Jaxon Brenneman, and Ferdinand Roth. There were also awards given to the highest scoring individuals at each level. In the high school division Alex Wineinger took first place with the highest composite test score and in the AP/CIS division St. Francis swept the competition with Abby Paulson taking first place, Parker Dekart tying for second place, and Colin Baumgart tying for second place. Many of these students attended several review sessions before school, after school, during Saints Time, and studied on their own. Congrats to all!
First Row Sitting L to R: Preston Yang, Dani Gerlach, Destiny Kromah, Macy Hass, Ava Schmidt, Destiny Yetzer, Taylor Lee, Brianna Thomalla, Second Row L to R: Kate Pennebaker, Kristen Gifford, Emerson Markus, Clara Barth, Avery Myers, Trinity Tighe, Evelyn Kelly, Rowan Anderson, Madison Hall, Ruby Loosemore, Third Row L to R: teacher-Kelly Lipinski(teacher), Ferdinand Roth, Parker Dekart, Elijah Roop, Paige Myers, Abby Paulson, Daisy Martinson, Julian Kelcher, Oliver Fennell, Back Row L to R: Colin Baumgart, Nick Braski, Gage Vaughn, Jaxon Brenneman, Sam Ruid, Nathaniel Esbolt, Alex Wineinger