WESTPORT–A team of Staples High School students, making their first appearance in the Connecticut Finals of a National Personal Finance Challenge, finished in second place.

The Staples team, all taking the SHS Financial Decision Marking course, included seniors Justin Halky, Ford Epstein, Patricio Garcia, and Kai Schwartz.

The competition was held March 31 at Synchrony in Stamford. First place went to Taft School in Watertown, which moves onto the national competition.

“This was our first time qualifying for the state finals, and earning second place is an incredible accomplishment, said Staples math teacher Stacey Delmhorst.” Our students rose to the challenge, demonstrating teamwork, critical thinking, and a strong understanding of real-world financial concepts.” Delmhorst teaches the SHS Financial Decision Making course.

Organized by the Council for Economic Education, the competition assesses high school students’ ability to apply financial literacy skills in real-world situations. Competing as teams, students analyze case studies and respond to complex financial scenarios involving budgeting, saving, investing, and managing risk.

In the first round, student teams compete in an online 30-question challenge. Of more than 50 teams competing in Connecticut, eight, including Westport, went to the state finals.

At the state finals, the eight competing teams used their knowledge to create a financial plan for a fictitious scenario. In this case, it was to look at a young 20-something with a decent salary but also high interest credit card debt and student loans. Students had to revise the young person’s budget and make specific recommendations to help her get ahead of her finances.

That narrowed the field to four, Westport among them, who competed in a quiz bowl.

“This is where we came in second out of over 50 teams,” Delmhorst said.

Delmhorst said participation in the Personal Finance Challenge reflects the district’s commitment to preparing students with essential life skills. Through experiences like this, she said students gain practical knowledge that supports informed decision-making and long-term financial well-being.