Orange Grove Middle School Claims Arizona State Championship in Personal Finance & Economics

Personal Finance Challenge & National Economics Challenge Champions

Orange Grove Middle School has been named the Arizona State Champion in the middle school division of the National Personal Finance Challenge and National Economics Challenge, hosted by the Arizona Council on Economic Education (ACEE).

The Orange Grove team rose to the top of a competitive field of nearly 2,000 Arizona students from public, charter, and private schools across the state. After months of preparation under the guidance of advisors Ms. Dawn Willman and Mr. Collin Flynn, OGMS advanced through regional rounds to the state finals, where they tackled complex, real-world challenges, including public policy issues facing Arizona's semiconductor industry, the use of Arizona Public Land to support education, and long-term financial planning strategies for a multigenerational family.

ACEE President and CEO Elena Zee described the competition as "the spelling bee of finance," an academic challenge that builds confidence, critical thinking, and financial literacy skills students will carry for a lifetime.

The path to the state title begins inside the classroom. Eighth graders at OGMS study two foundational units: Personal Finance and Macroeconomics. Those who excel are invited to join the competition team. From there, the team meets on Sundays for six weeks of intensive preparation. This year, 36 students showed up regularly throughout the season to work alongside their classmates. That kind of buy-in, Mr. Flynn noted, "makes it all worth it for us as mentors. If students see value in what they are learning and the material is presented in an engaging format, they will meet the challenge."

What unfolded at the state finals exceeded both advisors' expectations. Ms. Willman described the students' "preparation and perseverance in creating their best work" as inspiring to watch, particularly as they presented before a panel of professional financial advisors in an authentic competition setting.

For Mr. Flynn, two moments stood out. The first came during preparation, when students surprised him with the range of innovative solutions they developed by bouncing ideas off one another and off other adults. "So many times they would present an idea they were developing and I would find myself saying, 'I never even thought of that. Develop it further and make sure you can support it with evidence.'" The second came at the finals themselves. "They looked like young financial advisors," he said. "They talked with confidence and depth on a range of financial concepts, and showed true interest in their clients. You can have all the great advice in the world, but you have to present it in a way that your client understands and is sufficiently motivated to take action."

For both advisors, the value of a competition like this reaches well beyond the trophy. The format gives students the chance to apply what they've learned in an authentic situation, demonstrating real knowledge to professionals in the field. As Mr. Flynn observed, "Learning about personal finance is so multi-disciplinary. It involves real-world skills that every student needs: math, logic, critical thinking, presentation, organization, teamwork and collaboration, and time management." Those skills, he added, "go far beyond the competition. These are life skills that they can further refine as they navigate the various stages of life."

What keeps the advisors coming back is what they see in the students themselves. Ms. Willman finds the work deeply rewarding: "Their dedication and work ethic in preparing for the competition is inspiring."

For Mr. Flynn, the draw is both the subject and the students. "I have a passion for the subject because it changes lives," he said. "It's not about 'making money'; it is about making money work to achieve your priorities." The annual trip to Mesa for finals brings its own reward. "We get an amazing sense of joy and satisfaction in seeing young adults perform when the pressure is on. They walk out of the judges' room or off the stage following the quiz bowls, and you can sense their relief and satisfaction. They did something hard and they did it well. It is an adrenaline rush that keeps our fires burning. These students are our future, and we like having a role in that future."

While the middle school division does not advance beyond the state level (high school winners go on to the national competition in Atlanta, Georgia) the OGMS championship stands as its own remarkable milestone, and a strong foundation for what is possible as these students head into high school.

Congratulations to the OGMS State Championship Team: Jenna Appel, Josh Bowden, Molly Bowden, Casey Casper, Sullivan Cohn, Graham Cooper, Ryan Curley, Miles Goodrich, Gabriel Grandner, August LeRoy, Calum Newman, Hannah Regan, Isabelle Richardson, Haylin Rock, Giuliana Trombetta, and Paige Warfield.

A heartfelt thank you to advisors Ms. Dawn Willman and Mr. Collin Flynn for their dedication to preparing these students for challenges well beyond the classroom.

Read more about the team in the National Law Review.

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