Economics Critical Thinking

Teachers are invited to engage their students in this outstanding academic competition. The competition is open to all high school students who have taken an economics or economics-related course in school. There is no fee to participate.

Teams of 3 or 4 students will apply economic principles to a real-world voter issue given to them at the state final. Each team will have 30 minutes to prepare for their 15-minute oral presentation in front of a judge. This fast-paced challenge tests the students’ economic ingenuity and quickness of mind.  

First round competition will take place on March 29th – 30th, 2024.

State finals will be held on April 19th, 2024 at Mesa Community College

Winning Team in each division receives $500!

Review the rules for the 2024 Economics Critical Thinking Competition. (Coming soon!)

​Review sample rubric and cases from past Economics Critical Thinking Competitions. ​

This is a qualifying event for the National Economics Challenge. The teams from the David Ricardo division and the Adam Smith division with the highest combined Economics Critical Thinking presentation score and Economics Challenge online test score will advance to the National Economics Challenge for their division

Prize for Economics Critical Thinking Winning Team: 1st place: $500

2023 Winners

First Place
Team: Eggo
School: Hamilton High School
Teacher: Grant Lapinski

Second Place
Team: BASIS Mesa Team 1
Schools BASIS Mesa
Teacher: Greg Thorson

Third Place
Team: BASIS Mesa Team 4
School: BASIS Mesa
Teacher: Greg Thorson

Get in Touch

Contact Kathy Pondy for more information.