March 25, 2009

Hosted by the UAB Center for Economic Education, the Alabama Economics Challenge is the statewide round of a national competition for high school students. Some 25 teams will compete for a chance to win prizes and an all-expenses-paid trip to one of four regional competitions. Regional winners advance to the National Council for Economic Education's U.S. finals.

The event will take place Tuesday, March 31 from 8 a.m.-1:30 p.m. at the UAB Great Hall at the Hill University Center, 1400 University Blvd.

Student teams of four, divided among two divisions, will compete in four rounds. The first three rounds consist of written multiple choice exams. The fourth and final round has each division's top two teams facing one another in a first-to-the-buzzer, quiz-bowl style competition. Teams are quizzed on micro- and macroeconomics as well as current events and international economics.

The UAB Center for Economic Education, through funding provided by the UAB School of Business, promotes economic and financial literacy by providing continuing economic education resources for K-12 teachers. The center has reached over 1,900 teachers in the Greater Birmingham and Central Alabama area over the past 12 years.