The nation’s top teen competitors tackled everything from stocks and bonds to credit management and budgeting
NEW YORK, June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Over thirty teams from 28 states competed over the weekend for the top spot as the nation’s most financially savvy teenagers. Scripps Ranch High School from San Diego, California, emerged as the winner. What credit card transaction requires you to pay interest every day, including the first day of the transaction, until it is repaid in full? That’s just one of the questions—one that even some adults struggle to answer—that our teen champions tackled during the competition.
The Council for Economic Education (CEE), a national nonprofit on a mission to equip K-12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics, held the 14th annual National Personal Finance Challenge (NPFC) this weekend in Atlanta at Voya Financial’s headquarters.
These teens put their knowledge to the test, answering complex questions about saving, investing, stocks, bonds, retirement planning, managing credit, and more. After creating a financial plan for a fictional family, the top scorers competed in a quiz bowl where the winning team was crowned champion.
“We are thrilled to have welcomed students from across the country to the 2025 National Personal Finance Challenge. This competition is more than just a showcase of financial knowledge—it’s a celebration of the life skills these young people are building for their futures,” says CEE Interim CEO Christopher Caltabiano. “At a time when financial literacy is more important than ever, these students are proving they’re ready to take on the real world with confidence, responsibility, and a strong foundation for success.”
“The NPFC finalists truly impressed us with their knowledge and acumen,” says Heather Lavallee, Voya Financial chief executive officer and CEE board member. “This event is a powerful reflection of Voya’s culture and commitment to advancing financial literacy, especially among students. I’m proud of their achievements and of our employees who volunteered to help these remarkable young people on their journey toward greater financial confidence.”
This year, nearly 18,000 high schoolers from across the country competed in the highly accessible school-level round of the NPFC. Parents and educators nationwide are encouraged to visit the competition website in the fall to find out about bringing the competition to your school next year.
CEE is committed to the belief that financial knowledge is for everyone. Yet, 14 states do not require personal finance coursework in high school. This year’s competing teams include six from CEE’s Access Zone program that promotes financial education in Title I schools nationwide.
Covering the six core knowledge areas of personal finance, students collaborated in teams to tackle real-world financial scenarios. Research has long documented the association between financial literacy and successful real-life financial decision-making, including planning for retirement, financial resilience, less debt, acceptance of federal student loans over higher-cost loan options, and decreased likelihood of holding credit card balances.
The National Final was held at Voya’s headquarters in Atlanta on June 1-2, 2025. Winning teams took away cash prizes: $2,000 per team member and coach for 1st place, $1,000 per team member and coach for 2nd place, $500 per team member and coach for 3rd place, and $250 per team member and coach for 4th place. Students, educators, and parents can visit www.councilforeconed.org for more information.
The winners of the 2025 National Personal Finance Challenge
● First place: Scripps Ranch High School, San Diego, California
o Team: Robert Schumann, Ryan Langsam Williams, Ben Wolff, Caleb Lee
o Coach: Ian Rasmuson
● First runner-up: Mount Hebron High School, Ellicott City, Maryland
o Team: Benjamin Fichter, Nathaniel Ritter, Joseph Phelps, Mehin Panya
o Coach: Vann Prime
● Second runner-up: Madeira High School, Cincinnati, Ohio
o Team: Owen Dixon, Ben Reed, Will Manning, Marissa Jordan
o Coach: Jennifer Jordan
● Third runner-up: Hunter High School, New York City, New York
o Team: Sofie Pederson, Xiayang Huang, Pierce Siegel, Adrian Chen
The Council for Economic Education‘s (CEE’s) mission is to equip K–12 students with the tools and knowledge of personal finance and economics so that they can make better decisions for themselves, their families, and their communities, and learn to successfully navigate in our ever-changing economy. We carry out our mission in three ways. We advocate to require financial and economic education in every state. We provide training, tools and resources – online and live through over 180 affiliates nationwide – to more than 40,000 teachers annually who in turn bring the highest quality economics and personal finance instruction to over 4 million students. We deepen knowledge and introduce high school students to critical career capabilities through our national competitions and Invest in Girls program.
About Voya Financial®
Voya Financial, Inc. is a leading health, wealth and investment company with approximately 10,000 employees who are focused on achieving Voya’s aspirational vision: “Clearing your path to financial confidence and a more fulfilling life.” Through products, solutions and technologies, Voya helps its approximately 15.7 million individual, workplace and institutional clients become well planned, well invested and well protected. Benefitfocus, a Voya company and a leading benefits administration provider, extends the reach of Voya’s workplace benefits and savings offerings by engaging directly with approximately 11.9 million employees in the U.S. Certified as a “Great Place to Work” by the Great Place to Work® Institute, Voya is purpose-driven and committed to conducting business in a way that is economically, ethically, socially and environmentally responsible. Voya has earned recognition as one of the World’s Most Ethical Companies® by Ethisphere; a member of the Bloomberg Gender-Equality Index; and a “Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion” on the Disability Equality Index. For more information, visit voya.com.
