SC STUDENTS CREATE WINNING CALENDAR ILLUSTRATIONS

Illustrations by 16 South Carolina students were selected for publication in the 2008 Economics Concepts Calendar published by the South Carolina Council on Economic Education (SCCEE).

The calendar contest is sponsored annually by the SCCEE and the Charlotte Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond to promote economic education and financial literacy among elementary and middle school students.

"Financial literacy is a big topic in the news today. It's become more apparent than ever that the earlier we teach students about personal finance and how economics works in our country and around the globe, the more successful they will be," said Jeffrey S. Kane, Charlotte Branch senior vice president in charge and SCCEE board member. "The eagerness of students to participate each year in the contest clearly shows they want to learn about economics even in elementary and middle school."

Winners are from the following school districts-

Anderson School District Five-Lauren McCorkle and Bradley Shaw, eighth grade students in Meredith Bannister's class at Lakeside Middle School. Lauren won for her illustration of specialization and trade while Bradley won for his depiction of the concept of scarcity.

Berkeley School District-Jasmine Pan, a second grade student in Jennifer Jordan's class at College Park Elementary School in Ladson, depicted the concept of producer and consumer.

Edgefield School District-Third grade student Martin Strauss and fourth grader Caroline Yano from Merriwether Elementary School in North Augusta won for their illustrations of productive resources and scarcity. Merriwether Elementary teacher Paula Robinson nominated the two students.

Lexington School District Two-Second grade student McKenna Cassella from Pineview Elementary School in West Columbia won for her illustration of producer and consumer. McKenna's teacher Cheryl Johnson nominated her.

Lexington-Richland School District Five-Alexa Golbus, a third grade student in Beth Tester's class at Ballentine Elementary School in Irmo, and Katie Moats, third grade student in Kathryn Griffin's class at Ballentine Elementary, won for their illustrations of goods and services and producer and consumer.

Orangeburg School District Three-Ruby High, a second grade student in Jessica Shusky's class at St. James Gaillard Elementary School in Eutawville, was selected for her depiction of the concept of goods and services.

Richland School District Two-Jasmin Harmon and Kenneth Lindsey, fifth grade students in Jan Rampey's class at Sandlapper Elementary School in Columbia, won for their drawings of productive resources and producer and consumer.

Spartanburg School District One-Jannise Macomson and Lee Anna Dickerson, third graders in Teresa Dickerson's class at O.P. Earle Elementary School in Landrum, were selected for their drawings of opportunity costs and goods and services.

Sumter School District 17-Sixth grade student Shakaya Montgomery from Bates Middle School in Sumter won for her drawing of opportunity costs. Shakaya was nominated by her teacher Martha Rickard.

York School District One-Shelby Martin, a fourth-grader in Wanda Campbell's class at Hunter Street Elementary School in York, won for her illustration of opportunity costs. Shane Linder, a fourth-grader in Martha Dial's class at Hickory Grove-Sharon Elementary School in Hickory Grove, was chosen for his illustration of productive resources.

The SCCEE selects 16 winning illustrations in which students depict an economic concept. The calendar contest was created as a way for students to have fun with economics while reviewing economic concepts and principles contained in the S.C. Social Studies Standards. Each student received a $50 U.S. savings bond.

Helen Meyers, SCCEE president, said, "We re pleased to work in partnership with the Federal Reserve Bank to provide this important learning experience for students. Our goal is to provide fun, creative ways to help young people learn the economic way of thinking, and this project is a hands-on way to meet this goal."