EURO CHALLENGE 2010

The Euro Challenge 2010 Is Now Open!

The European Union Center of Excellence at the University of Wisconsin-Madison is pleased to announce that Euro Challenge is now accepting applications for its 2010 competition. The Euro Challenge (www.euro-challenge.org) is an opportunity for student teams to learn about the new European currency, the euro, by examining one country of the euro area and making a presentation on the impact the euro has had there.

Wisconsin 9th and 10th grade classes will have an opportunity to participate in a national competition and possibly win some amazing prizes. Now in its fifth year, the 2010 Euro Challenge continues to expand nationally, with up to 100 teams from various regions in the United States competing for cash awards made possible by The Moody's Foundation.

Applications are being accepted until December 15, 2009. (tentative)

Sponsors and Support

The competition is sponsored by the Delegation of the European Commission to the United States in Washington, D.C., with the technical support of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Other partner organizations include The Moody's Foundation, Credit Suisse, the University of North Carolina, Florida International University, the University of Michigan, the University of Pittsburgh, the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.

What Is the Euro Challenge?

The Euro Challenge is a national competition supported by the Delegation of the European Commission to the United States and is specifically designed for 9th and 10th graders to learn about the European Union (EU), the European economy and the euro.

The Euro Challenge is a wonderful educational opportunity for Wisconsin high schools and is of particular value to 9th and 10th grade students in global studies, economics, world history/geography or European studies classes.

The goals of the Euro Challenge are:

to increase students' knowledge and understanding of the European Union and the Euro
to promote an understanding of economic challenges facing European Union member nations
to support local learning standards related to global studies and economics
to foster economic and financial literacy and understanding of economic policy issues
to develop communication, critical thinking, and cooperative skills

The Competition Task

The Euro Challenge competition for high school students tests their knowledge and understanding of the European economy and the euro, the currency shared by many of the 27 countries of the European Union (EU). For the 2010 Euro Challenge competition, which will take place in the spring of 2010, student teams are asked to make 15-minute presentations in which they must:

Describe the current economic situation in the euro area (the economic region
consisting of the 16 EU member countries who have adopted the euro)
Select one economic-related challenge confronting the euro area as a whole, and pick one of the 16 member countries of the euro area to illustrate that challenge.
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:

slow growth
high unemployment
inflation
adaptation to technological change (raising productivity)
globalization (including immigration)
aging (including health care)
living with a single monetary policy
sustaining the social system (welfare state)
coping with a housing market slowdown
high government deficits and debt

Presentations are followed by 10 minutes of questioning by a panel of judges who are
educators or experts in European economic affairs.

Schools selected to participate in the Euro Challenge will be provided with professional
development, information resources, and coaching to provide guidance and assistance.

Eligibility Requirements

In order to enroll in the competition, teams must observe the following eligibility requirements, which are subject to change:

High schools located in regions coordinated by partner institutions (i.e., participating Federal Reserve banks or European Union Centers of Excellence at several US universities). Emphasis is put on the participation of public high schools.
The participation of one team, consisting of three to five 9th and 10th grade students in global studies, economics, world history/geography or European studies classes.
Two faculty advisors for the school team. Advisors will be invited to attend a general orientation seminar in November of 2009 and are required to attend the Euro Challenge competition rounds with their student team.

Register for the Orientation Workshop!

Teacher Workshop: "Bringing the Euro and Europe into the Classroom"
Friday, November 20 (10:00 am - 2:30 pm)
Chicago Federal Reserve, Chicago, IL

The Chicago Federal Reserve is hosting a half-day teacher orientation session in conjunction with the Euro Challenge. This workshop will discuss aspects of the European economy, including how Europe is dealing with the global economic crisis. The workshop will also focus on how to prepare for the Euro Challenge competition, but is intended more generally to introduce interactive exercises and resources available for use in the classroom.

This workshop is free, and lunch and refreshments will be provided.

Please RSVP to the European Studies Alliance Assistant Director, Csanád Siklós, at siklos@wisc.edu or 608.265.4766 by Tuesday, November 10.

For Additional Information

Information and Questions

More information on Euro Challenge and complete rules for the competition may be found by visiting their official website.

Click here to download a registration and information packet.

Questions can be directed to the European Studies Alliance Assistant Director, Csanád Siklós, at siklos@wisc.edu or 608.265.4766.

The Euro Challenge is also on Facebook!

Deadlines and Timelines

The tentative application deadline has been scheduled for December 15, 2009. Apply now!

The first round of competitions will be held at UW-Madison at the European Union Center of Excellence in April 2010. The winning team from that competition will be given an expenses-paid trip to compete in the national competition in New York City in late April-early May 2010.