Economic Concepts Poster Contest

Looking for an engaging, hands-on activity to help your students understand economic, personal finance, and entrepreneurship concepts? Students in grades K-12 are challenged to create an original illustration depicting their interpretation of various topics. Cash prizes are available. 

Submissions for the 2024 calendar will be accepted through October 6th, 2023. Six students will win $500!

Rules

To qualify for judging, entries must meet the following criteria:

  • Contain original artwork by an Arizona student in grades K-12.
  • Colorfully illustrate an economic concept. (Examples of Economic Concepts below.)
  • Include the complete economic concept name illustrated in large (1” minimum) letters near the top of the illustration. Concept title should be written clearly and spelled correctly.
  • Submissions may be digital art or hand-drawn illustrations.
  • All artwork should be horizontal with dimensions of 11×8.5in.
  • One entry per student.
  • Artwork can be submitted online.
    • Online submissions should be digitally created or scanned copies of hand-drawn artwork with a resolution of 300dpi and in a JPEG or PNG format.
  • Artwork can be mailed to Arizona Council on Economic Education, 16421 N. Tatum Blvd, Ste. 123, Phoenix, AZ 85032
    • For physical submissions, please lightly tape a 3 x 5” student information card to the back of each poster including the student’s first and last name, student’s grade level, teacher’s first and last name, and complete school name.

Bad

Bad: Angled, cluttered background, has a shadow on the top right. We can’t use this!

Better

Better: Photo taken straight, but still crooked, uneven edges. Taken with phone camera. It is unlikely this submission would be selected for the Economic Concepts calendar.

Best

Best: Taken with the same phone camera using the free Microsoft Lens app. (other scanning apps work well too!) This is great!

Hot Tips

Images should: 

  • have minimal text and clearly illustrate the economic concept.
  • not include definitions as a part of the poster.
  • relate concepts to humans, not animals, whenever possible.
  • ​avoid dark backgrounds.

Awards

Arizona Statewide Competition

  • Thirteen statewide winners will be selected.
  • Teachers of state award-winning students will receive recognition.
  • Calendars will be sent to the teachers, families, and principals of state-winning students. Winning submissions will be published in a 12-month calendar for 2024. ​

Examples of Economics Concepts

*Trending Economic Concepts

  • Opportunity Cost
  • Scarcity
  • Trade
  • Specialization
  • Factors of Production
  • Economic Systems
  • Goods and Services
  • Circular Flow
  • Capital Markets
  • Shortage
  • Unemployment
  • Market Equilibrium
  • Career Planning
  • ​Postsecondary Education Planning*
  • Risk versus Reward
  • Identity Protection*
  • Digital Banking Safety*
  • Peer to Peer Payment*
  • Income
  • Negative and Positive Externalities
  • Budget
  • Saving and Investing
  • Credit
  • Interest
  • Compound Interest
  • Gross Domestic Product
  • Tax
  • Inflation
  • Insurance
  • Conservation Economics*

2022 Calendar

2022 Poster Contest Winners

Winner NameSchool nameTeacher name
Isabel QinHamilton High SchoolDiana Weaver
Brooke HeyerCasteel High SchoolTodd Daniels
Kennedy KienlenCorona del Sol High SchoolShannon Corcoran
Leslie TanoriLa Joya Community High SchoolDawn Bennett
Holly RodgersValley Vista High SchoolMitchell Pinda
Araceli GalazMayer Elementary SchoolLisa Leo
Laila HendersonSt Anthony of Padua Catholic SchoolCarolee Sopicki
Michelle DangPresidio High SchoolShelly Moreno
Noeli IbarraSunrise Middle SchoolNicole Liggett
Melisa PinaSunrise Middle SchoolNicole Liggett
Ella FranzBASIS PrescottMakenna Bird
Quinlan HarrisRed Mountain High SchoolJaime Leverington
Ayan BhaktaMountain Ridge High SchoolDebbie Moore

Get in Touch

Contact Kathy Pondy for more information.