Dixon High School’s economics class participated in the Financial Capability Challenge sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education and the U.S. Treasury.  President Obama declared April as Financial Literacy Month.

Over 75,000 students took part in the challenge representing over 1,500 high schools. Mrs. Guenther’s economics class took the Financial Capability Challenge in early April.  Eleven of her twenty-two students scored in the top 20% of the nation.  Congratulations to Evanne Deatherage, Zach Francque, Garrett Kerr, Ricky Laskowski, Molly Love, Alyson Radeke,  Zach Spinden, Maddie Sweeney, Patrick Taylor, Paul Sedig, and Roy Wilkins. The national average was 70% on the exam with 95% of the economics class scoring above the national average.

Patrick Taylor received a perfect score on the test ranking him as one of 16 students in the state of Illinois with a perfect score and one of approximately 500 students nationwide.

The President wrote in his proclamation, “In recent years, our Nation's financial system has grown increasingly complex. This has left too many Americans behind, unable to build a secure financial future for themselves and their families. For many, financial literacy can mean economic prosperity and protection against fraud and predatory banking practices. During National Financial Literacy Month, we recommit to teaching ourselves and our children about the basics of financial education.
While our Government has a critical role to play in protecting consumers and promoting financial literacy, we are each responsible for understanding basic concepts: how to balance a checkbook, save for a child's education, steer clear of deceptive financial products and practices, plan for retirement, and avoid accumulating excessive debts.

Our Nation's future prosperity depends on the financial security of all Americans. This month, let us each take time to improve our own financial knowledge and share that knowledge with our children.”

Congratulations to the economics students for making financial literacy an important part of their high school education.