Iolani teams top competition

Advertiser Staff

Two teams from Iolani School swept the annual Economics Challenge this week and will head to San Francisco April 29 to represent Hawai'i in the Western regional competition.

Iolani students won both divisions in the annual competition, which involves three rounds of written questions followed by the top two teams meeting in a quiz bowl.

Melodie Chu, Patrick Wood and Matt Luat won the division for students with one semester of economics coursework; Pam Carlton, Andres Killips, Cherise Saito, David Bangerter and David Yoshida were the team that won for advanced placement or honors students.

Each student wins a $100 savings bond and an all-expense-paid trip to compete in San Francisco.

Iolani teacher Dick Rankin, who coaches the honor students, last year was named Nasdaq's National Economics Teach of the Year.