CTAE Compass Submission

Calling all educators, staff, and administrators of high schools and colleges (two-year or four-year)! The University of Montana Missoula College, along with the University of Montana Summer Office and Reach Higher Montana invite you to save the date and join us for the Montana Dual Enrollment Summit taking place in person, June 20 - June 21, 2022!  Registration will open on April 18, 2022.

As the school year winds down, it is nice to say things were pretty much back to normal throughout this past year.  FFA had great participation in every event that was held and there seemed to be plenty of enthusiasm for activities that lie ahead.  Summer activities will soon be upon us!

One of the more notable things this past year was that we experienced record enrollment by adding almost 900 members over the previous year.  We are also getting ready to welcome four new programs and one previous program back into Montana FFA.  The four new programs will be in Florence, Frenchtown, Havre, and Harrison.  Drummond’s program will recharter after more than a 10-year absence.  Congratulations to these schools for recognizing the value of career and technical education.

Finally, we would like to recognize our national officer candidate for this upcoming year.  Colton Young (pictured below) from Absarokee who served as the 2021-22 State FFA 1^st Vice-president, will represent Montana and compete for a national officer position in Indianapolis this fall.  Colton will prepare for this process throughout the summer with hopes of becoming one of six national officers who will represent the National FFA Organization this coming year.

SkillsUSA had the first in-person State Leadership & Skills Conference since 2019. Over 300 students and advisors came to Helena on Thursday, April 7 for the three-day event that showcased the skills of Montana students. Helena College, the Montana Carpenters Apprenticeship Training Center, Helena High School, and East Helena High School hosted all the activities and there was an evening of fun at the Flying Giant Adventure Park. Lieutenant Governor, Kristen Juras, was the keynote speaker at the Opening Ceremonies. Superintendent of Public Instruction, Elsie Arntzen joined the Closing Ceremonies for a congratulatory address.

Besides having over 35 contests to test skills in areas such as carpentry, welding, public speaking, and job interviews, there was also a career fair for the students. This gave them the opportunity to talk with Montana businesses regarding future training and careers. Industry leaders from the Montana Contractors Association, Montana Automobile Dealerships Association, Dick Anderson Construction, and King Machine were able to connect with students and take part in the conference. These businesses also made sponsorships available for the winners of various contests to attend the SkillsUSA National Leadership and Skills Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in June.

Mary Heller, the current SkillsUSA Montana State Director, has decided to take a position as the Montana Ready Coordinator for the Office of Public Instruction. This was a bittersweet decision, as the State Director position is a true passion, but Heller would like to help the OPI further their presence with the workforce development needs and that connection to public education within the state. If you are interested in applying for this position, please follow the link: https://www.indeed.com/jobs?q=State%20Director%20SkillsUSA&l=remote&vjk=e3c9cedc8b0ad015

Further questions can also be addressed to Mike Houghton at: michael.houghton@mt.gov

What a wild ride in the markets for this semester!  By definition, a simulation like The Stock Market Game is designed to teach lessons in a safe environment. This spring, students got a first-hand look at what volatility and risk in the markets looks like.

The Montana Council on Economic Education (MCEE) is pleased to recognize the top 10 teams of the Spring 2022 edition of the Stock Market Game.

With the support of sponsors at Glacier Bank, MCEE will be sending checks to the top five teams.

The Montana Council on Economic Education (MCEE) announces the top teams of the Big Sky Biz Sim by First Interstate Bank. Teams in the spring semester competed using the new software technology and used a variable method to measure success by shifting from the Stock Price to Return on Equity (ROE).

Please join MCEE in congratulating the first-place team, DIS, coached by Levi Osborne at Billings Central with a Q4/Q8 average ROE of 32.96%. The second-place team also came from Billings Central, Team HEK average ROE was 31.57%. Third place and in the money was a team coached by Michelle Foss in Libby with an average of 30.26%.

Big Sky Biz Sim by First Interstate Bank will pay cash prizes of $500 for first place, $250 for second place, and $100 for third place.

As a new feature this year, MCEE will be sending a $25 Visa Gift Card to the top team in each of the 11 industries.

The program is made possible by the generous support of the First Interstate Bank Foundation. Congratulations teams and coaches/teachers.

The results are in for the 2022 Montana Economics Challenge. This year, there were 60 students competing across five schools. The Montana Council on Economics Education (MCEE) would like to thank Sunburst, Park High in Livingston, Hellgate in Missoula, Frenchtown, and Columbia Falls for giving your students a shot to compete for cash awards with an opportunity to earn a trip to New York City.

The top three teams in the Adam Smith level were coached by Steven Klimkiewicz at Hellgate. The top team finished with a score of 630 and is preparing to test at the national level semifinals.

The top three teams in the David Ricardo level were coached by Joey Lane at Park High, with the top team finishing with a score of 730, including what appears to be a perfect score from one student.

Please join MCEE in congratulating these teams on their success.

The no-cost access to the software and the prize money is possible with the generous sponsors at First Interstate Bank, BNSF, the Montana Financial Education Coalition, and the Montana Bankers’ Association.

Thank you, teachers, for encouraging a record turnout for the 2022 Montana Personal Finance Challenge. This year, there were 321 students competing across 10 schools.

The Montana Council on Economic Education (MCEE) would like to say “thank you” to the teachers representing Columbia Falls High School, Flathead High School, Lima High School, Frenchtown High School, Westby High School, Hellgate High School in Missoula, Sunburst High School, Glasgow High School, Capital High School in Helena, and Bozeman High School.

The winning teams for Montana are:

• 1st Place: P.E.E. Wee, Capital, Helena; Coach Mat Reyant
• 2nd Place: Royal Peppermints, Hellgate, Missoula; Coach Steve Klimkiewicz
• 3rd Place: Hellgate Advanced Finance #1; Hellgate, Missoula; Coach Steve Klimkiewicz
• 4th Place: CFHS Personal finance F, Columbia Falls; Coach Becky Bates
• 5th Place: DRAGONZ, Capital, Helena; Coach Mat Reyant
• 6th Place: CFHS Personal Finance A, Columbia Falls; Coach Becky Bates
• 7th Place: K, A, & L, Westby; Coach Amy Griffin
• 8th Place: Dave Ramsey’s Fan Club, Hellgate, Missoula; Coach Steve Klimkiewicz
• 9th Place: Men at Work, Flathead High School; Coach Roy Antley
• 10th Place: Bru Win, Capital, Helena; Coach Mat Reyant

Please join MCEE in congratulating the winners this year. MCEE will pay cash prizes to the top three teams, and the winning team will have an opportunity to compete at the national level with a chance to earn a trip to New York City.

The no-cost access to the software and the prize money is possible with the generous sponsors at First Interstate Bank, BNSF, the Montana Financial Education Coalition, and the Montana Bankers’ Association.