Euro Challenge Competition

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PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

The Euro Challenge https:/www.euro-challenge.org is an exciting educational opportunity for 9th and 10th grade high school students to learn about the European Union (EU) and the euro. Teams of three to five students are asked to make presentations answering specific questions about the European economy and the single currency, the euro. They are also asked to pick one member country of the “euro area” (the 20 EU member countries that have adopted the euro so far), to examine an economic problem at the country level, and to identify policies for responding to that problem.

Launched in 2006, the Euro Challenge is a program of the Delegation of the European Union to the United States in partnership with The Moody’s Foundation, Working in support of Education (w!se) and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. W!se is the National Coordinator of the Euro Challenge. The Program is also supported by BNP Paribas, Credit Suisse, the University of Washington, the University of Pittsburgh, the University of Illinois, the University of Texas at Austin, Florida International University, Rutgers University, the World Affairs Council of Pittsburgh, the World Affairs Council of Charlotte, the World Affairs Council of Seattle, the Texas Council of Economic Education, the Council of Economic Education of Rhode Island, the Maryland Council of Economic Education, the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta (Miami Branch), the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago (Detroit Branch).

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Judges 2016

The Miami-Florida Jean Monnet European Union Center of Excellence at Florida International University is the recruiter in Florida for the Euro Challenge Competition. This is the 17th year in which the Preliminary Round-Competition will take place at Florida International University. This is the 16th year that the Miami-Florida Jean Monnet European Union Center of Excellence partners with the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta-Miami Branch.

In 2008, eight schools from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and St Lucie Counties, participated in the competition; ten schools in 2009; twelve schools in 2010; twelve schools in 2011; twelve schools took part in the competition in 2012; 10 schools from Miami Dade, Broward, Lee and Orange Counties in 2013; 11 schools from Miami Dade, Broward, Lee, St Lucie and Orange Counties in 2014; 10 schools from Miami Dade, Broward, Lee, Orange, Gainesville counties in 2015;10 schools from Miami Dade, Broward, Lee, Orange, Gainesville countries in 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. 5 schools from Miami-Dade, Broward, Lee, Orange, Gainesville countries participated virtually in 2020, 2021, and 2022. 9 school from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, Alachua, participated in person in 2023. As a result, senior high schools from Miami-Dade County high Schools have been represented at the national Euro Challenge Competition in New York (2008: two schools; 2009: three schools; 2010: three schools; 2011: three schools; 2012: three schools; 2013: three schools; 2014: two; 2015: two; 2016: two, 2017: one; 2018: one; and 2019: one. 2020: one; 2021: one; 2022: one; 2023: 4

Since 2008, MF-JMCE has selected one hundred sixteen Florida high schools from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, St. Lucie, Lee, Alachua and Orange counties, and sent twenty-eight to New York to compete nationally. One Hundred and sixty one students have gone to New York representing their Florida schools.
Since 2020, Amid Covid-19 pandemic, the competition has been organized virtually, and Florida High Schools have been selected and advanced to the virutal national competition. In 2020, Gulliver Preparatory School won 4th place.

In 2023, the Preliminary competition was organized in person in Miami. Those who were not able to come to Miami, had the opportunity to compete virtually.

The semi-finals and final competition was organized in person in New-York

In 2024, nine schools from Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach, and Leon Counties participated in this year’s competition on site at Florida International University on April 1st, and five schools from Alachua, Orange and Palm Beach Counties presented via video conference at FIU on March 28 afternoon, in total, 14 schools. In 2024, Maclay School won 3rd place, and The Benjamin School won 4th place at the finals in NY.

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Benjamin High School: 2023 winners - 1st place

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Trinity Preparatory School: 2016 winners - 1st place

Image \ International Studies Preparatory Academy: 2016 winners-2nd Place

COMPETITION TASKS

The Euro Challenge competition for 9th and 10th grade high school students tests their knowledge and understanding of the European economy and the euro, the currency shared by 20 countries of the Euro Area. For the 2025 Euro Challenge competition, which will take place in the spring of 2025, student teams will be asked to make 15-minute presentations during which they are required to:

  1. Describe the current economic situation in the euro area (the economic region consisting of the 20 EU member countries who have adopted the euro). The description must include a discussion of GDP growth, unemployment, and inflation in the euro area. The description should also include a brief discussion of the current monetary policy activities of the European Central Bank (ECB).
  2. Select one economic-related challenge confronting the euro area as a whole (see list below), and pick one of the 20 member countries of the euro area to illustrate that challenge.
  3. Recommend a policy or policies for addressing the challenge you identified in the country you selected. Be sure to include in your recommendation a discussion of how having a single currency may or may not affect the policy choices for addressing the challenge.

Teams can choose one of the following economic-related challenges:

CHALLENGES

  • Climate Change and Going Green
  • Managing Migration Flows
  • Inequality, Social Mobility and the Gender Gap
  • Innovating for Long-Term Growth and the Future of Work (new*)
  • High government deficits and debt (new*)

*Challenge issues that are being updated

To learn more about each topic, toggle over the “Resources” tab and select “Challenge Sheets”

Euro Challenge Goals

  • Increase students’ knowledge and understanding of the European Union and the euro
  • Promote an understanding of economic challenges facing European Union member nations
  • Support local learning standards related to global studies and economics
  • Foster economic and financial literacy and understanding of economic policy issues

Miami-Florida Jean Monnet European Union Center of Excellence, FIU – Responsibilities

  • Recruiting Florida High Schools (Miami-Dade County – Broward County – Palm Beach County, St. Lucie - Allachua County - Orange County - Leon County) – 9th -10th grades (team: 3-5 students)
  • Organizing and hosting Teacher Workshops
  • Organizing and hosting Student Workshop
  • Organizing and hosting Competition in Florida and selecting 3-4 high schools that will be competing nationally for the semi-final and final rounds in New-York end of April 2025.

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International Studies Preparatory Academy: 2016 winners in Florida - Recognition Award Ceremony at the FED

► Two-day Trip to NY for the two Florida HS Winners

  • Cash Prizes for the top five winning teams (from $250 to $1,250 per student)
  • Recognition and Award Ceremony for all semi-final teams

► One-day Trip to Washington D.C. for the top two teams

  • Visit to the Delegation of the European Union, the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.

► Important dates in Miami: 1st round competition in Florida:

► VIRTUAL: Thursday, March 13, 2025 (for those who won't be able participate in-person)

► IN-PERSON (& hybrid): Tuesday, March 18, 2025

► Important date in New York: Semi-final and final rounds in New York: In person

Tuesday, April 29, 2025

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Gulliver Preparatory School - National Euro Challenge Competition Winner 2019 - NY (3rd place)

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Trinity Preparatory School - National Euro Challenge Competition Winner 2015 - NY

► For Calendar of Official Dates 2024, click here

► For Calendar of Official Dates 2019-2020, click here

► For 2014 Competition FAQs, click here

► For PPT Euro Challenge Competition Overview 2019, click here

► For resources,click here

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Florida Atlantic University High School at the National Competition in New-York 2023

  • July 2024: Euro Challenge in Miami-Florida Jean Monnet Center of Excellence Newsletter (Spring 2024), click here
  • July 25, 2023: Euro Challenge feature in Miami-Florida Jean Monnet Center of Excellence Newsletter (Spring 2023), click here
  • To read 2024 testimonial, click here
  • To read 2023 testimonial, click here

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