Bellaire HS team wins National Personal Finance Challenge

L-R are: Kenneth Yu, Christina Mao, Claire Weddle, Akash Shukla, and Michael Clark

L-R are: Kenneth Yu, Christina Mao, Claire Weddle, Akash Shukla, and Michael Clark

Four students from Bellaire High School have been named the national champions of the 2015 National Personal Finance Challenge, after beating out more than 22 other teams to earn the title.

The competition took place in Kansas City on May 22, and students Christina Mao, Kenneth Yu, Claire Weddle, and Akash Shukla placed first, second, third, and fifth (respectively) in the country on individual tests before advancing to the third round of the competition, which was a team event.

Individual students were quizzed on a number of topics, including earning income, buying goods and services, saving, and using credit, while the team competition dealt with investing, protecting, and insuring.

Bellaire competed against a team from Ohio in the final round of the competition, a quiz-bowl-style event, and won 11-10.

The students and their coach, Michael Clark, each received a $1,000 cash prize.