Mt. Hebron’s National Economics Challenge Teams Sweep 2021 National, International Championships

May 26th, 2021

For the third consecutive year, Mt. Hebron High School outscored student teams from around the United States to win both divisions of the 21st Annual National Economics Challenge (NEC) sponsored by the Council for Economic Education (CEE). Additionally, both teams defeated China’s top two teams in the international round.

This third sweep of dual national championships in both the Adam Smith (AP/IB) and David Ricardo (non-AP/IB) divisions gives Mt. Hebron a cumulative six NEC national titles, nine national finals appearances and 16 state championships.

Mt. Hebron emerged atop the 375 schools that participated. In all, more than 10,000 students competed nationwide in NEC, the country’s only economics competition for high school students.

The challenge also included an international round featuring a quiz bowl between the top U.S teams and China’s winners from CEE’s NEC: International, managed by its exclusive partner in China, SKT Education. Four thousand Chinese students participated in the challenge in China, with 192 advancing to the worldwide finals. Mt. Hebron also won the international quiz bowl in both the David Ricardo and Adam Smith divisions.

Competing in the Adam Smith division were Mt. Hebron seniors Pauline Chang, Nicholas Snyder and Sudharsan Sundar, and junior Saniya Mahate. Snyder and Sundar have won the NEC three times, while Chang and Mahate have won two championships each. Additionally, Mt. Hebron sophomores David Lieman, Sahith Mada, Dhishan Reddy and Natalie Venginickal competed at the David Ricardo division. The teams were coached by Mt. Hebron teacher Vann W. Prime.

The students first won Mt. Hebron’s 15th and 16th Maryland state titles in late April to continue advancing in the challenge. Additionally at the state level, Centennial High School teams placed second and third in the David Ricardo division, and Mt. Hebron’s second team placed fourth in the Adam Smith division. The challenge was held entirely online due to COVID-19.

The Mt. Hebron teams will be recognized at the June 10, 2021 HCPSS Board of Education meeting.